


Dance of the Falcon

by RollingMist13



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Drama, Ever Changing Political Landscape, F/M, Multiple Story Arcs, Novel, Plot, Ships are not the main focus plot is, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-06
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2020-10-11 10:47:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 63
Words: 251,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20544881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RollingMist13/pseuds/RollingMist13
Summary: What if the Arryn House had joined with the Starks during the War of the Five Kingdoms? With the strong willed Kenna Arryn, half sister to Robin Arryn ruling in the Vale the House goes down a different path. A path of revenge to avenge her father's death. Follows cannon till the later episodes in Season 1 then becomes AU. Novel length story that will cover all eight GOT seasons and beyond.





	1. Prologue: The Kraken's Doom

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own my OCs but everything else is G.R.R Martin's. 

* * *

_Year 289 AC - End of the Greyjoy Rebellion _

**Great Hall, Pyke, Seat of Power of House Greyjoy in he Iron Islands**

* * *

Eddard and his men bashed through the heavy wooden door and subdued the Ironborn easily with their superior numbers. Some Ironborn fought and died others surrendered. Eddard watched as his men manhandled Balon Greyjoy to the ground as well as his brother Euron who was putting up such a fight it took five men to tie him up. The floor of the Great Hall was littered with dead bodies, most Ironborn but some Stark soldiers. All this death could have been avoided if Balon Greyjoy had just been content to stay as Lord of the Iron Islands instead of raiding the western coast of Westeros. What was worse is that on one such raid Euron Greyjoy had kidnapped Alyssa Arryn, oldest daughter to Jon Arryn who was as good as a little sister to Eddard and was to become his actual sister in-law by marriage to his younger brother Benjen. The guilt of being responsible for her when she was kidnapped had been gnawing at Eddard ever since she had been whisked away from the North.

More men spilled into the Great Hall baring the sigil of the Arryn Household. Eddard nodded to them and announced that the Greyjoys were to wait for the King to pass judgement. No doubt Robert was enjoying himself on the battlefield, thought Eddard. It was his duty to hold the captives until Robert got to the Great Hall.

Eddard's attention was drawn to Euron Greyjoy as he started laughing manically while staring at something behind Eddard's shoulder. Eddard was about to order he be gagged when an arrow whistled past him and embedded itself in Euron's midriff. Eddard whipped around with his sword drawn to see Alyssa Arryn advancing on Euron with a bow drawn. 

_No this wasn't Alyssa this was her twin sister Kenna,_ thought Ned. __

_ _Eddard yelled for Kenna to stop but she released another arrow while walking to Euron's position. It found its way to Euron's shoulder. Eddard was about to grab Kenna as she walked past him on her way to Euron but found Benjen blocking his way._ _

_ _"Let this happen brother," Benjen implored. "He deserves this."_ _

_ _"He deserves the King's justice, which requires the King to pass sentence," Eddard said stoically._ _

_ _"We found Alyssa, she … Euron hurt her brother .. Euron raped her," Benjen said in a quiet voice full of emotion._ _

_ _Ned looked at Kenna, she was Alyssa's twin it couldn't have been easy seeing your own likeness in pain. Ned remembered finding his own sister in a state of pain. Ned could understand the fury in her eyes as she released her third arrow. It struck Euron in his upper torso. Throughout the encounter Euron had kept laughing. His manic tones were bouncing of the walls of the Great Hall making it appear that there were multiple Euron's laughing all around the Great Hall._ _

_ _"You look so like your sister," Euron slurred, "except for that look of fear she has you don't have that yet but don't worry someday someone will break you too," Euron promised while spitting out blood._ _

_ _Kenna was only a few metres away from Euron and shed her bow and now arrow-empty satchel to reveal a short dagger in her hand. She ran the last few steps and lunged at Euron. The dagger plunged into Euron's body with little accuracy. Euron continued to laugh and in turn this seemed to fuel Kenna's frenzied attack. She didn't stop when blood splattered across her face and started to soak into her clothes or when Euron stopped laughing and breathing. But when a hand grabbed her raised arm. She turned her head to stare at Eddard Stark. His eyes were full of concern._ _

_ _"Enough", he said softly._ _

_ _"Do you know what he did to Alyssa?" Kenna said gulping in breaths and straddling Euron's dead body._ _

_ _"Yes, I have sent Benjen and a few men to escort your sister back to the ships." He took a moment before continuing "I think you should join them and return to the Vale."_ _

_ _Kenna nodded, "Yes I will but first I need proof to show my sister that Euron Greyoy is dead and can't hurt her anymore."_ _

_ _It took Ned a few moments to understand her intentions. He released her arm and stepped back away from Kenna avoiding the pool of blood growing from Euron's corpse._ _

_ _Kenna positioned the dagger at Euron's throat and her other hand on top of his lifeless head. She pushed down with all her strength and after a few dozen slashing motions his head was separated from his body._ _

_ _Kenna stood up, dropped her dagger and held Euron's head in her hands staring into his lifeless eyes. Balon Greyjoy showed no emotion for his dead brother instead remained kneeling on the ground looking defeated but defiant._ _

_ _Kenna backed away from Euron's headless body and turned to leave. Eddard couldn't keep the shock off his face as the blue cloth of her battle garments were fully soaked in blood. Her face was streaked in red lines, with some of her hair sticking across her face. It was her eyes that worried Eddard the most. The feral, uncontrollable rage was clear to see. He was sure his men were giving her the same look of bewilderment._ _

_ _"I want the crew of Euron's ship too," Kenna said coldly. Some Arryn men bowed and gathered the still alive men who bore Euron's personalised sigil._ _

_ _As Kenna left flanked by her Arryn guards Eddard could only stare at the bloody footprints that she left behind leading back to the now headless Euron Greyjoy. _How was he going to explain to Robert that he had failed to keep the King's justice?__ _

_ _ _ _He needn't have worried. When Robert had made it to the Greyjoy's Great Hall followed by Jamie Lannister, the King Slayer, and a small army he simply bemoaned missing the carnage._ _ _ _

_ _ _ _"I would have paid good money to see Kenna take that fuckers head off. You know if she hadn't have killed him I would have had him stung up by his balls until he begged for death," Robert roared while slapping Eddard's back. "Now let's deal with the living Greyjoys shall we," pointing towards Balon and his two remaining children._ _ _ _


	2. Death of the Father

* * *

_Nine Years Later ...._

**Main Chamber of the Great Sept of Baelor, King's Landing, Seat of Power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

The tower bells ring out in the capital city of King's Landing. Lord Jon Arryn Lord Protector of the Eyrie and the Vale of Arryn, Warden of the East and Hand to the King, had died suddenly to a burning fever. The Silent Sisters prepared his body for the mourning period befitting his position. Hovering slightly behind the Silent Sisters was Kenna Arryn, youngest daughter of Jon Arryn. She started to circle the scene in front of her. She always thought better on the move and she couldn't stand the smell of the incense clawing at her throat anymore.

No sooner had she received a letter from her father detailing his suspicions that the Baratheon children were lacking the traditional number of grandparents she was presented with another letter informing her that her father had succumbed to a fever on the same day he had written the first letter. Her father was old and more fragile with each passing year. Could it be a coincidence? No her father had taught her that there was no such thing. Especially in the high stake political game in King's Landing.

From her position on the balcony Queen Cersei of House Lannister observed Lady Kenna walking a slow circle around her father's dead corpse with a frown on her face. Her watch is interrupted when her twin brother, Ser Jamie Lannister appears at her side and leans lazily against the barrier.

"As your brother, I feel it is my duty to warn you that you worry too much. It is starting to show."

"And you never worry about anything," Cersei replied. "When we were seven, you jumped off the cliffs at Casterly Rock. A hundred foot drop into the water. And you were never afraid."

"There was nothing to be afraid of until you told Father," Jamie said in a childish tone before deepening his voice to imitate their father. "We're Lannisters, and Lannisters don't act like fools."

Cersei smiled before noticing that Lady Kenna had stopped walking and was looking in their direction.

"What if Jon Arryn told someone?" she questioned worriedly.

"But who would he tell?" Jamie said reassuringly.

"His daughter," Cersei inclined her head in Kenna's direction. "My husband."

Jamie stole a glance in Kenna's directions, she had continued her circle so that her back was to them now. She had grown up since she lived in King's Landing, more shapely now thought Jamie. Jamie seemed to remember her with long flowing light brown hair as a child but today it was cut to her shoulders and tied in short plaits.

"If he had told the king, both our heads would be skewered on the city gates by now. If she knew and had told the king, both our heads would be skewered on the city gates with falcons picking our eyes out. Whatever Jon Arryn knew or didn't know, it died with him. And Robert will choose a new Hand of the King, someone to do his job while he's off fucking boars and hunting whores. Or is it the other way around?" Jamie flashed Cersei a grin. "And life will go on."

Cersei leaned in to Jamie and said "You should be Hand of the King".

"That is an honour I can do without," Jamie quickly replied. "Their days are too long; their lives are too short."

Before Cersei could try to change his mind Jamie took a hold of her arm and said "I think we should leave Lady Arryn to mourn her father and you should allow me to escort you somewhere that isn't here."

* * *

Lady Kenna was leaning against a pillar while watching the last of their interactions. Cersei had grabbed a hold of Jamie's outstretched arm and they were walking to the exit.

Kenna immediately felt some tension leave her shoulders. Even as a child in King's Landing Kenna found it unsettling to be in the same room as Cersei. Now that she was a grown woman of twenty-four years the feeling hadn't changed. Cersei was still someone to be wary of.

This was the first time Kenna had been back in King's Landing since the events of the Greyjoy Rebellion preferring to leave her father to rule Robert's kingdom alone in King's Landing while she and her sister retreated to their childhood home of the Eyrie after the rebellion had been crushed. She much preferred the Eyrie over King's Landing, less looking over your shoulder is required and she had good memories of Robert and Eddard within those walls before they had taken up arms against the Mad King. For the past nine years she had remained in the Eyrie ruling as regent while Robin became of age in King's Landing.

While she stared at her father's corpse she bitterly wished that he had succeeded in sending her to Winterfell instead of her sister.

Kenna remembered how she had begged not to be sent to the North, instead preferring to remain in King's Landing with her father and sister. But her father had been adamant. Kenna could still remember her father's dull tones.

"The tradition is that the second born Arryn becomes a ward to the Lord of Winterfell, while the eldest remains in the Eyrie."

"I don't want to go to the North, I want to stay with Alyssa and you," twelve-year-old Kenna had shot back, on the brink of tears.

"The decision is final Kenna, I have already agreed with Ned that you are to arrive in Winterfell within the month," Jon said softly, not wanting to tip his daughter into a flood of tears.

Instead Kenna just ran out the chamber and kept running, ignoring the pleas of her father to come back.

Kenna only registered her sister's presence when she was engulfed in a massive hug.

"Alyssa, how did you find me," Kenna murmured.

"We are twins I can sense where you are at all times," Alyssa said with a serious look initially then burst into laughter after a hard stare from Kenna. "Whenever you are upset you always go to the highest place you can reach, hence why we are hiding on the roof of the Tower of the Hand while Father has all his guards looking for you. Great hiding spot by the way he will never think to look here."

"I don't want to talk about it," croaked Kenna.

"Good because I overheard everything anyway, I was hiding in Father's closet."

"Why?" Kenna said sniffling.

"The Tower of the Hand has the best view of the city and I wanted to paint it. But Father always tells me to go away when he is working and that is all the time."

"Well if he is always working when were you going to paint the view?" Kenna noted while drying her eyes.

"Not the point, the point is you aren't upset anymore and I have an idea that gets you out of going to Winterfell," exclaimed Alyssa with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Father isn't going to like this is he," Kenna stated.

* * *

The smell of the incense brought Kenna back to the present.

"Is he prepared?" Kenna asked.

An elderly Silent Sister nodded before stepping back from the body.

"Good, its time he comes home with his family".

Kenna left the chamber and by the doorway was a crying Robin Arryn who was being cooed over by his mother, Lysa Arryn. My good mother is looking particular nervous, thought Kenna. She was fussing over Robin more than normal. Trying to clear away his tears before they had even left his eyes.

"It is time to go," Kenna said to no one in particular.

"I don't want to leave him," wailed Robin.

Kenna knelt to Robin's level and gently grabbed a hold of his shoulders. "We aren't leaving him; he is coming with us to the Eyrie. We are all going to the Eyrie now," stressed Kenna.

King's Landing is no place to show emotion. They could all grieve at the Eyrie away from prying eyes. Well Robin and Kenna would grieve, Lysa looked more distraught at the thought of leaving King's Landing than at the sight of her dead husband. Kenna noticed this shift and wondered what is left for her in King's Landing?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Author's Note:******  
**  
**Here is a timeline of Kenna's life********  
  
**Age timeline: Kenna Arryn  
0-7 Years old - At Eyrie with Robert, Eddard, Alyssa, Jon Arryn  
7 Years old - Sacking of Kings Landing & Jon Arryn made Hand of the King so relocation to King's Landing from the Eyrie  
12 Years old - Kenna & Alyssa switch places (Kenna stays in King's Landing while Alyssa goes to Winterfell)  
15 Years old – Goes to Winterfell for Alyssa's marriage to Benjen; Greyjoy Rebellion (Chapter 1: Kraken's Doom); returns to Eyrie with Alyssa after the Rebellion is crushed  
17 Years old - 10 year anniversary of Roberts ascension to the throne/ Tywin & Kenna cyvasse scene in King's Landing (Chapter 6: The War of the Five Kings)  
17 - 24 Years old - In Eyrie ruling as regent while Jon Arryn Hand of the King in King's Landing. Aslo Robin is born in King's Landing when Kenna is 16 so the first time they met is at their father's funeral.  
24 Years old - Jon Arryn's Funeral (Chapter 2: Death of a Father)**  
  
  
  



	3. The Calm before the Storm

* * *

_Few months later ..._

**The Eyrie, Seat of power of House Arryn in the Vale**

* * *

Kenna knocked on the heavy wooden door. No one answered but they never did anyway. She pushed the door aside and saw Alyssa sitting at her desk painting an image of an ocean and some ships with black and gold sails. She didn't turn around to greet her sister just keep staring at the ships floating on her imaginary sea.

Kenna walked over to her sister and put her hand on her shoulder while kissing the top of her head. "It is lovely," she whispered in Alyssa's ear. Alyssa gave her the smallest of nods as an acknowledgment and continued shading the ocean in with her brush. Kenna dropped onto a chair beside Alyssa and closed her eyes. Every day since their return from the Iron Islands to the Eyrie Kenna would visit her sister and every day she would sit in her current chair in silence for a few hours watching Alyssa and organising her thoughts.

Why hadn't she received a reply from Eddard Stark yet? She had sent him a coded letter detailing her father's evidence that the royal children were not Robert's but Jamie Lannister's as well as a written statement that Lysa had seen Ser Hugh put something in Jon Arryn's cup the night he died of his _fever_. Ned just needed to find the book and interrogate Ser Hugh to find out who had paid him to poison his liege lord. _I could go myself I suppose_, thought Kenna but she couldn't leave Alyssa again. Alyssa had withdrawn further into herself since Kenna had left the Eyrie to collect their father's body in King's Landing and Kenna couldn't bring herself to leave her again.

There was a weak knock on the door and a young boy with curly black hair poked his head around the corner of the door.

"M'lady, Lord Royce is requesting your presence in the courtyard."

"Tell him I will be there momentarily Artys, and don't run you'll fall down the stairs again."

The youth shyly nodded and disappeared from sight. Kenna stood up, kissed her sister on the cheek and followed Artys to the courtyard. Kenna approached the courtyard and observed that it was set up for archery practice. Lord Royce was attempting to teach Lord Robin Arryn, heir to the Vale how to hold a bow correctly. By the exasperated look on his face Kenna judged he was failing. As Kenna walked down the marble stairs to the courtyard she overheard Robin complaining "I will have archers to shoot arrows for me I don't need to learn how to do it myself." Royce expressed his frustrations in a long sigh.

"My Lord, you have need of me," Kenna addressed Lord Royce.

"Yes my Lady, I was rather hoping you would be able give your brother a lesson in archery since he won't listen to me," Royce said while pointedly looking at Robin who had the graces to look abashed. "He claims he doesn't need to learn," Royce said in a disappointed tone.

"Robin how do you expect to lead and command the respect of your men if you can't do what they can?" Kenna asked. Lord Royce smiled at that comment, he had said those exact words many times since taking over the training duties of Lord Robin and was probably happy that someone was listening to him.

Robin seemed to have lost his tongue, Kenna was unfazed this happened a lot to the young Lord in the few months that Kenna had known him. Kenna had hoped that the feeble young boy she had met on the day of their father's funeral would grow into a capable ruler away from King's Landing but the past few months had not been encouraging. Kenna plucked the bow from his hands and demonstrated the grip to be used.

"Are you watching Robin?" Kenna asked.

"Yes I am," the young lord replied once prodded by Lord Royce.

"Firstly you need your stance to dictate where you want the arrow to go," Kenna adjusted her stand to be side on to the target. "Then get a feel of the distance to the target and steady your aim," Kenna drew the bowstring back on her bow and concentrated on the target. "Then focus on the centre of your target and let the arrow fly", Kenna took a few deep breaths then held one and released the taut bowstring. The arrow struck the red centre of the target firmly.

"That is how you do it," Royce said to Robin. Robin simply nodded and excused himself.

"Don't worry Royce he will get better, as he can't possible get any worse," chuckled Kenna.

"I wouldn't be so sure," grumbled Royce. "May I escort you back inside my Lady?"

"No, I would like to practice some more. If you don't practice you lose the skill and I very much want to maintain the ability to kill at range."

Lord Royce bowed and retreated to the stairs. By the time he had got there Kenna had fired five arrows and each one had pierced the centre of the target.

"Gods help the man she thinks is her target," muttered Royce.

* * *

Kenna was out there for a few more hours. If pacing and walking stimulated Kenna's thinking, archery focused her thoughts and right now she had to figure out her next moves in bringing her father's murderer to justice. _Why wasn't Ned replying to her letters, he always replied when he was in Winterfell….. _Kenna slackened the bowstring on the bow as it dawned on her ..._ he wasn't getting her letters._ Someone in King's Landing was making sure her letters never reached the Lord Hand's desk.

_Who could that be, there isn't a shortage of candidates, Varys is the obvious one, Cersei if she suspects me, Little Finger maybe, even Maester Pycelle could stop the letters if he knew to stop them. Ned might be in danger in King's Landing if someone is tampering with his letters. I should go to King's Landing and warn him, _thought Kenna.

The only thing holding her back was leaving Alyssa alone in the Eyrie, she didn't fare well when they were split up. Everything bad that had happened to them had been because they were split up.

Kenna still remembers when a twelve-year-old Alyssa revealed her big plan to stop Kenna going to Winterfell.

"I'll go to Winterfell instead of you. I have always wanted to travel and you know no one can tell the difference between us anyway," Alyssa said.

"But I don't want us to be split up, that's why I don't want to go to Winterfell. You going to Winterfell doesn't solve this," Kenna pointed out.

"Kenna we can't stay together forever, one day we will both have husbands and they won't be in the same place. It's time to leave King's Landing and I am ready to go even if you aren't." Tears threatened Kenna's eyes. "I didn't mean it like that. It is okay to be afraid of leaving your home," said Alyssa.

"Then why aren't you?" Kenna shot back.

"I've seen the Vale and King's Landing. I now want to see the North," Alyssa said in a soft determined voice "and when you are ready you can come visit".

"Okay," Kenna murmured.

Alyssa hugged her and mumbled through her twin's hair. "We should really get down from here before father's guards ruin this hiding spot for us."

Over the next few days they hatched their plan together. On the day that Kenna was supposed to leave for Winterfell Alyssa would take her place and travel North. Once at Winterfell Alyssa would write a letter to their father explaining the switch. Kenna would have to be ready to back up the letter and explain she wasn't ready to leave her home for some unfamiliar city with unfamiliar people.

Kenna had been right. Their father did not like this development. He accepted it after a lot of tears from Kenna and made Kenna promise never to lie to him again and in return her father promised to not send her away from him until she was ready.

_You always were the stronger of us two,_ thought Kenna.

Kenna's reminiscing was cut short when Artys nudged her elbow.

"M'Lady?, M'Lady?"

"Yes Artys, what is it?"

"Oh M'Lady I thought you couldn't hear me. Um Lady Catelyn Stark of Winterfell is here and she brought a prisoner."

"Who?"

* * *

Kenna charged through the corridors of the Eyrie to reach the High Hall where the moon door was. She heard her good mothers voice before seeing her on the weirwood throne.

"Lady Stark I was unaware you were in the Vale," Kenna said while gliding down the stairs catching the attention of the gathered crowd.

"There was no time to send word, Lady Kenna," Catelyn said tersely.

Kenna sat down on one of the marble benches as the conversation between Lysa and Catelyn continued.

"Lysa," Catelyn said firmly. "You wrote to me about the Lannisters warning me-"

"To stay away from them", Lysa interrupted. "Not to bring one here."

That was news to Kenna, _so Lysa had written to her sister about the Lannister involvement in Jon Arryn's death_.

"He's little," Robin squeaked.

"He is Tyrion the Imp of House Lannisters. He killed your father, he murdered the Hand of the King," Lysa shrieked.

Kenna turned around to look at the prisoner and it certainly was none other than Tyrion Lannister, son of Tywin Lannister. Kenna thought it was more likely Cersei that was responsible for her father's death but Tyrion might have been involved and if that was the case he might be the key to bringing Cersei down. He looked nervous. _I would be too ifI thought Lysa was to be my judge_,mused Kenna.

"Oh did I kill him too?" jested Tyrion. "I've been a very busy man."

"You will watch your tongue," snapped Lysa. "These men are knights of the Vale. Everyone of them loved Jon Arryn, everyone of them would die for me."

"If any harm comes to me my brother Jamie will see that they do," Tyrion stated.

"You can't hurt us, no one can hurt us, tell him mummy," Robin shouted from Lysa's lap.

Lysa calmed Robin's outburst. "He is just trying to frighten us. Lannisters are all liars".

_Can't disagree with that one, _thought Kenna.

"Mummy I want to see the bad man fly," Robin said in a petulant voice. Kenna rolled her eyes, y_ou want to see most things fly_.

Kenna had been watching Catelyn Stark throughout this encounter and she didn't seem impressed, sometime she even seemed disgusted with her sister.

"This man is my prisoner, I will not have him harmed," Catelyn said loudly, catching her sister's attention.

"Ser Vardis my sister's guest is weary take him down below so he can rest. Introduce him to Mord." With that command Ser Vardis marched the Imp to the sky cells and the crowd of Vale nobility dispersed.

_Starks and their honour_ thought Kenna. _It's time to put an end to this mess. _Kenna stood up and followed Ser Vardis. If Kenna had known Catelyn was coming she could have handled Catelyn and Tyrion without Lysa getting involved. Lysa wasn't an issue to the running of the Vale as long as she was fussing over Robin. Normally she was content to let Kenna handle the day-to-day matters but Kenna conceded a captured Tyrion Lannister wasn't a day-to-day matter.


	4. The View of the Condemned

* * *

_A few minutes later …_

**Sky Cells, in the Eyrie, Seat of power of House Arryn in the Vale**

* * *

Tyrion was doing his best to ignore the beautiful scenery outside his prison when his cell door swung open to reveal Mord and Lady Kenna.

Lady Kenna had been present when Tyrion had been accused of killing Jon Arryn but hadn't spoken up. _She likely thinks the same as her good mother so this isn't going to be a pleasant conversation_, thought Tyrion.

"Do you have time for a chat my Lord?" Lady Kenna asked with a smile, aware prisoners have nothing but time until they don't.

"I have as much time as your dear mother allows me," retorted Tyrion while pushing himself up off the cold floor.

"Well she is determined to throw you out the moon door, proper trials be damned. So I better make this quick. What knowledge do you have of my father's death?" she asked while blocking the cell door entrance.

"Absolutely none as I wasn't involved," Tyrion said quickly.

"So you think he was murdered too?" she said locking her eyes on Tyrion's face.

"I didn't say that but he died in King's Landing so it is not a surprising conclusion," Tryion conceded while staring up at her.

"Why do you think someone would want to murder him?" questioned Kenna as she took a step into the cell.

"He was the Hand of the King and Hands of the King tend to know things that people would rather keep secret," Tyrion surmised.

"My father had been Hand to the King for seventeen years he must have know a lot of secrets, why murder him now?"

"Maybe he found out the wrong secret," Tyrion hypothesised.

"Exactly the conclusion I came to. Do you want to know what the secret was that killed my father?" Kenna said with a serious expression engulfing her face.

"Enlighten me," Tyrion said while gesturing with his hands.

"My father found out that the Queen's children are bastards, fathered by your brother the Kingslayer," Kenna said in a voice edged with anger.

Tyrion couldn't keep the shock of his face._ How does she know?_ "My Lady I assure you that is nonsense."

"My father sent me a letter on the day he died assuring me that it was not," Kenna said raising her voice. "He had proof Lord Tyrion."

"And you think that I murdered your father to stop him telling Robert?"

"Did you?" Kenna questioned.

"No," Tyrion stated firmly.

"Then it was your sister, poison is a woman's weapon after all."

Tyrion didn't doubt that Cersei was capable of murdering Jon Arryn and had a motive to if he had figured out Cersei's children's parentage. But Tyrion was with Cersei that night eating dinner with their family and he hadn't sensed anything different with her. If Cersei had ordered an assassination she wouldn't have been able to contain her smugness and Tyrion would have noticed. He always noticed when Cersei was up to something, it was the main reason he had survived his childhood. No Cersei wasn't responsible and it was silly to think Jamie would be. Jamie would have just run Jon Arryn through with his sword without thinking about the consequences as he had done in the past. _No someone else had murdered Jon Arryn but who?_ Without another culprit to give to Lady Kenna, he would be at the mercy of Lysa Arryn. _Maybe he could convince her that there hadn't been a murder at all?_

"Was that a denial that died on your lips or have I bored you?" Kenna said in a tense voice after a sequence of silence from Tyrion.

"No my Lady simply thinking the scenario through. My sister didn't murder Lord Arryn, neither did my brother because your father died of natural causes, forgive me my Lady but he was old."

Instead of replying Kenna walked towards the edge of sky cell shaking her head and stopped to stare out into the mountains.

"You know my sister use to come here all the time to paint the view. She didn't mind the cliff drop. Said it gave her painting an edge," she chuckled at the childish memory. "Mord would open all the doors that didn't have occupants and she would choose the one with the best view of the scenery she wished to paint. She was a great painter." After a few moments silence Kenna continued. "My sister now paints the same view over and over, again and again. The view from the Sea Tower in Pyke where she was kept during the Greyjoy Rebellion. It's like she never escaped that room."

"A sad story but what does that have to do with my current situation?" Tyrion said carefully, aware of the sensitive nature this conversation had taken.

"You know what I did to Euron Greyjoy for kidnapping and raping my sister what do you think I am going to do to your sister for killing my father?" Kenna turned at that moment and gave Tyrion a hard stare.

"I am telling you my Lady my sister isn't responsible". _If only Cersei could see him now, defending her, she wouldn't believe it_.

"Well it had to be a Lannister with the knowledge my father knew so maybe I'll start with you and make my way around your family until one of you confess to his murder."

"I think my father might disapprove of that course of action," warned Tyrion.

"Your father can't save you here my Lord," Kenna said while backing away from the cliff edge towards the centre of the cell.

"I guess not but he would destroy your house in return I assure you," Tyrion replied watching Kenna's movements.

"Would he? The way I hear it, he doesn't really care about you. I might be doing him a favour."

"I am still a Lannister it doesn't matter if he cares for me or not we share a name and by keeping me prisoner you are tarnishing it," rebuked Tyrion.

"If you aren't going to confess or point me in the direction of the true culprit then you will face my good mother and brother and let me tell you my little brother loves to watch things fly out the moon door almost as much as my good mother like to appease him."

Having said her piece Lady Kenna waltzed through the door leaving Tyrion alone with Mord.

"Should have told her what she wanted to hear little man," Mord yapped while closing the door.

_Well I wasn't going to confirm that my brother fucks my sister,_ Tyrion replied in his head.

* * *

On her way back to her chambers Kenna found Lady Catelyn Stark pacing outside her door. She had a grave look on her face. Kenna indicated she could go into her rooms. Once inside Kenna sat down on one of her chairs surrounding a little table that had blue flowers on it and ushered Catelyn to do the same. As Catelyn walked into the room she noted there were little furnishings and decorations. It actually reminded Catelyn of the North. She was about to sit down when she noticed the human skull resting on the study desk at the other end of the room. _Euron Greyoy's skull_. It was a reminder to Catelyn that there were still consequences for unjust actions in this world.

"What is on your mind my Lady?" Kenna queried.

"Please call me Catelyn, after all we are related," said Catelyn sweetly covering her previous thoughts well.

"Yes, by law. What did you wish to speak to me about … Catelyn?"

"My sister is … is she well? She acted strange earlier."

"Your sister hasn't acted any different since she become my good mother. If you are worried her judgement might affect your case with Tyrion I can assure you it won't. She may be Robin's mother but the Vale listens to me until Robin becomes of age, not your sister. I will take over the trial of Lord Tyrion. The nobility here they value blood over marriage vows. But rest assured I will ensure that justice is served in the correct way my Lady," Kenna said with confidence.

"Of course," Catelyn said while releasing a breath she didn't know she was holding. "You have grown up a lot since I saw you at Winterfell. How is Alyssa?" Catelyn asked kindly.

Kenna paused a few moments trying to force out the memories of Winterfell and Pyke out of her mind just as quickly as they had flashed into her mind. "My sister's captivity in Pyke has had a lasting impact on her," Kenna offered in a nonchalant voice.

Catelyn stayed quiet, trying to find the right words. "I know Benjen was distraught, losing her to the Greyjoys and not being in time to save her. He took the black a few weeks after the Greyjoy rebellion ended. He said there was nothing left for him after failing to protect his wife-to-be. He blamed himself for Alyssa's kidnapping. He very much wanted to marry her." Catelyn looked at her hands in her lap.

"I don't blame him or any Stark for my sister's kidnapping," Kenna said reassuringly to Catelyn. _I blame myself for not being brave enough to go to Winterfell on my own._

"Now that you are reassured that Tyrion's trial tomorrow will be conducted with honour are you happy to proceed?" Catelyn nodded in response. "Well then I suggest we both get a good night sleep."

With the conversation ended Catelyn moved from the chair and exited out the door, with a slightly less anxious face then when she had entered the room. Kenna had already tried to acquire a confession from Lord Tyrion in the sky cells. That didn't work so maybe an open trial with a very real threaten of being thrown out the moon door might loosen his tongue.

* * *

Mord woke Tyrion by bashing him with his baton and screaming "wake up little man, wake up little man, you don't want to miss your own trial."

"Yes, yes stop hitting me I am ready," exclaimed Tyrion while trying to fend of the baton.

Tyrion walked into the Eyrie's High Hall chamber to see Kenna sitting on the weirwood throne, Catelyn at her side and there was no sight of the slightly crazed Lysa Arryn or her young son. Tyrion didn't know if this development was a good outcome or not for him.

"Lysa Arryn not joining us," Tyrion said in a jovial tone.

_He is in a good mood considering this is his own trial for attempted murder and actual murder, _thought Kenna.

"Lord Tyrion are you ready to confess?" Kenna asked, ignoring his question. Tyrion nodded. "Go on then."

What followed was Tyrion making a mockery of his confessions while the gathered nobility had a bit of a laugh.

"Silence," Kenna demanded. The crowd immediately stopped laughing, most looking at their feet. "Lord Tyrion you are accused of hiring a man to kill Brandon Stark and conspiring to murder Jon Arryn."

"I'm very sorry but I don't know anything about all that," Tyrion replied with some impertinence.

Kenna was beginning to get annoyed with Tyrion's antics. "Lord Tyrion if you don't provide proof that you are innocent then I will find you guilty," Kenna said in a thunderous tone.

"Is this how the King's justice is served in the Vale? I am accused and I demand a trial by combat," Tyrion yelled for everyone in the chamber to hear.

"Very well Ser Vardis can serve as the Vale's champions," Kenna inclined her head towards an amour clad knight.

The knight knelt, "I would be honoured my Lady to be your champion but there is no honour in slaughtering a man half my size."

"Yes, that is why I name my brother Jamie Lannister as my champion." Tyrion said while smiling in Ser Vardis's direction.

Kenna stood up, "You think I am a fool Lord Tyrion, by the time your brother gets to the Vale to be your champion your father will have marched his army to the Bloody Gate and be demanding your release. No this trial by combat will be concluded today. If you have no champion, you will have to be your own."

Tyrion turned to face the gathered crowd "Any volunteers?" He asked hopefully.

There were a few sniggers from the Knights of the Vale but no forthcoming champion appeared. Kenna was about to announce that the trial by combat be started when one of Lady Catelyn's companions spoke up.

"I'll be the dwarfs champion," the rugged looking sell sword announced and then promptly shrugged at Tyrion.

The stage was set, the moon door was open and Kenna announced the start of the trial. The sell sword and Ser Vardis fought evenly with the days light dancing off the gleaming metal of the swords and armour until the sell sword managed to cut an unarmored part of Ser Vardis and the trial ended with the sell sword throwing Ser Vardis out the moon door. The shock was visible on everyone's face in the room.

"You are free to go Lord Tyrion," Kenna announced with a pained look in her eyes.

Tyrion gave a mock bow and strutted out the Eyrie with the sell sword on his heels.

_Am I letting my father's murderer go free?_ Kenna questioned herself.

* * *

Kenna stared at the scroll in her hands. She had read it three times to make sure she was reading it correctly. Ned Stark had been imprisoned in the Red Keep for treason against the new King Joffrey of Houses Baratheon and Lannister, the First of His Name, King of the Andals and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm. The Ned Kenna knew would be incapable of treason against Robert and his family. They had adored each other. This was Cersei's doing.

Artys appeared at Kenna's doorway.

"Catelyn Stark is here to see you M'Lady," the boy said while fiddling with the front of his tunic.

"Bring her in Artys."

Lady Catelyn Stark walked into the room. Kenna indicated for Catelyn to read the unfurled scroll on her desk. Once Catelyn had read it she exclaimed, "Robb will march south with his banner men, this means war."

"Yes it does and the Vale will stand with him when he reaches the south."

'You have my thanks," said Catelyn with a grateful look on her face. It was clear she had been expecting to have to persuade Lady Kenna to join the Stark's cause.

Kenna looked Catelyn in the eye while rolling the scroll back up. "As you said before Catelyn, we are family and I was too late to save my father but maybe we can save your husband together. He is like a brother to me and I have already lost Robert", Kenna said with emotion seeping into each word. "The scroll also mentions that Lannister forces are preparing a move on the Riverlands, no doubt in further retaliation of your kidnapping of Lord Tyrion. We need to position our forces quickly if we want to avoid a prolonged war and save Ned."

"Then there is no time to lose, prepare the Knights of the Vale and I will travel north and join my son's host. We will send word when we are ready to strike," Catelyn said with ferocity not usually possessed by a woman of noble birth.

With Lady Catelyn having left the room. Kenna shouted for Artys.

"Yes M'Lady," Artys said while shuffling into the room.

"Please find Lord Royce and notify him I need to speak to him urgently we have a lot to prepare for," Kenna said in an excited tone.

War by no means was something to lust for but to avenge her father's death she needed King's Landing to be controlled by someone other than a Lannister and her family's honour and relationship with the Stark House demanded Ned's release from what were almost certainly false charges. Both those things necessitated King's Landing be captured.

_So why not by her and the Stark boy._


	5. A Falcon's Fury

* * *

_A few weeks later …._

**Corridor, in the Eyrie, Seat of power of House Arryn in the Vale**

* * *

Kenna walked through the corridors of the Eyrie. She had just come from an argument with her good mother. Lysa didn't support going to war against the Crown even when it was pointed out that Ned, her brother-in-law was rotting in a dungeon for the crime of treason which he almost certainly didn't commit. Apparently family didn't mean anything to her, _well family that wasn't named Robin_. Kenna briefly wondered if leaving the Vale in Lysa's hands was a good move but quickly wrestled the concerns away. Lysa was Robin's mother and she would do what was best for the future Lord of the Vale and his people.

The corridors were full of people hustling about and barking orders at one another. A knight hurried past her carrying various pieces of armour while scolding his squire for not keeping up. Lady Arryn reached the courtyard which was full of soldiers practicing their hacking and slashing in amour suits to the commands of their field marshal who screamed orders every few seconds.

"Don't worry my Lady the knights of the Vale are a formidable force and we will fight with honour that brings glory to House Arryn," Lord Royce said with pride as he approached her.

As a woman Kenna couldn't care less about honour on the battle field. She cared about prying a confession from the lips of Cersei Lannister and Jamie Lannister for the murder of her father and if they wouldn't confess to that confessing to cuckolding Robert would do.

"I am sure Lord Royce that they are and I intend to witness it for myself," Kenna said while appraising the small platoon of soldiers below her in the courtyard.

"The camp of an army is no place for a Lady and you are needed at the Eyrie. You are its Lady," Royce replied sternly.

"My good mother will be Robin's regent untill I return or my brother becomes of age." The look of disapproval stayed on Lord Royce's face.

"How can I expect men to follow my lead if I am not willing to do the things that I demand of them? If the Knights of the Vale go to war so do I," Kenna stated forcefully to Lord Royce.

Royce smiled as he saw his own words be used against him. "Very well my Lady but I hope you aren't expecting to command the army yourself, as far as I am aware you have not received any instruction in the strategy of war and killing one man in anger doesn't make you an expert at killing many in a war."

If any other man had dared spoken to Kenna that way she would have sent him to the sky cells for a few days but Lord Royce was a second father to her and she trusted his advice. As a highborn woman she had received a good education that involved reading about great battles but not the tactics and practicalities behind them.

"Fear not Lord Royce you are in full command of the Arryn armies but I will decide the fate of my house and as such I need to understand what is going on and I don't trust ravens to carry the news," Kenna said in a passionate voice.

Royce nodded at Kenna's little speech and was about to respond when Lady Alyssa's cupbearer Arty's interrupted him.

"M'Lady there is news from the Starks"

Kenna immediately redirected her attention form Lord Royce to the letter clutched in Arty's hand and gestured for him to hand it over. The Starks had decided to break the siege at Riverrun and were requesting that the Arryn forces keep Tywin Lannister's host busy so they couldn't intercept the Stark forces. After reading its contents she turned to Lord Royce. "Ready the army Lord Royce we ride out at first light tomorrow morning," Kenna said with a twinkle in her eyes.

_Finally, it was time to act._

* * *

Kenna found herself in Alyssa's room watching over her sister's still form. She had told her sister of her impeding departure and Alyssa had responded by putting down her paint brush and climbing into her bed facing away from her sister. Kenna had promised that she wouldn't be gone long and that it was to avenge their father but these words didn't stir Alyssa from her position and Kenna didn't want to push Alyssa so she had stayed in her chair waiting for Alyssa to respond. When it became clear that Alyssa wouldn't acknowledge Kenna she wandered over to the bed and kissed Alyssa on her head.

"I promise Alyssa I will see you again soon and I will have got justice for our father. Goodnight sister." Having said what she came to say Kenna exited the room and bumped into Artys in the corridor. Kenna grabbed a hold of the young boy's arm.

"Artys I need you to do me a favour while I am away." Kenna took a breath. "I need you to look after Alyssa, make sure she eats, washes and drinks enough water. If she runs out of paints procure more and do not allow anyone into her rooms apart from her normal servants and yourself, not even Lysa or Robin okay?"

The young boy nodded vigorously. Before Kenna let him go she added, "also if you have the time please just sit with her she may not say anything but I assure you she will appreciate your company."

Once the boy was released he started to run away but then stopped suddenly and turned back to Kenna. "Why me M'lady? Why are you asking me?" Artys questioned with his blue eyes.

"Because Artys you are …. familiar with her and I know she likes you very much. Now go get some sleep you shouldn't be up at this time anyway." Kenna watched him scamper off while fighting a yawn herself. She needed to heed her own advice.

_Whatever this war will bring it will at least bring the truth_, thought Kenna as she walked off in the direction of her chambers.

* * *

_Few days later …_

_ **Ruby Ford, on the Green Fork of the Trident, East Riverlands** _

* * *

Tywin strode through his camp flanked by ten loyal Lannister soldiers and was greeted with bows and melodies of "M'Lord." He entered his tent and found Ser Kevan waiting for him by his desk with a pile of letters.

"What news Kevan?" Tywin asked while lowering himself into the chair by his desk and focusing on the pile of letters and ledgers.

"Our scouts have reported seeing Tyrion leaving the Vale with a band of mountain savages. He was last reported heading in this direction," Kevan said in an amused voice.

Tywin skipped over this piece of information and asked, "any news of Jamie?"

"He is besieging Riverrun as we speak and will soon have the whole of the Riverlands under his control."

"Good," Tywin nodded at this report. "Prepare the army Kevan we will advance on the Stark boy's host."

Before Kevan could acknowledge the command Tyrion burst through the tent flap with a few ugly looking savages on his tail. Kevan backed towards Tywin with a hand on his sword. Tyrion acknowledged the elder Lannisters and introduced his mountain clan companions.

"Kind of you to go to war for me," Tyrion said while reaching for the wine jug on Tywin's desk. Tywin moved the jug out of Tyrion's reach before Tyrion could get to it.

"You left us no choice the honour of our house was at stake," Tywin seethed while fixing Tyrion with a fierce glare. "Your brother would never have submitted to capture so meekly."

"We have our differences Jamie and I, he is braver I am better looking," Tyrion mocked.

"He's been covering himself in glory," Tywin remarked. Kevan confirmed that Jamie had won a significant battle at the Golden Tooth against the Riverlords and was now banging on the gates of Riverrun. Tyrion enquired about Lord Eddard Stark.

"He is our hostage. He will be leading no armies from his dungeon cell," Tywin asserted.

"And how did my sweet sister persuade the King to imprison his dear friend Ned?" Tyrion questioned.

Tywin revealed, with a hint of a satisfaction in his demeanour, "Robert Baratheon is dead. Joffrey rules in King's Landing."

"My sister rules you mean," Tyrion presupposed.

Suddenly a scout collapsed into the tent breathing heavily.

"M'Lord" he spat out between breaths. "There is an army advancing on our positions from the East where Lord Tyrion came from."

Tywin gave an accusing look at Tyrion. Before Tywin could speak, Tyrion quickly interjected, "The Arryns must have made up their mind to join the war at last. How unfortunate they picked the side opposing you Father."

Tywin gritted his teeth at that comment but he hadn't the time to deal with his youngest son at the moment, an army was bearing down on their position. "How many men?" Tywin directed at the scout.

"About thirty thousand men, I think ten thousand in cavalry M'Lord."

The armies were evenly matched on the field of battle but the Arryn army had caught them by surprise. The Lannister army would not be set up properly in time to clash with the Arryn forces. "Ser Kevan prepare our forces to march to Harrenhal." Kevan bowed and hurried out the tent. Tywin turned to Tyrion, "Let's make use of your savages."

* * *

Kenna watched from a nearby hill as the cavalry of the Vale tore through the few thousand Vale clansmen that were charging over the grassland towards them. She also saw the gleaming red amour of the Lannister army in the distance force marching south. Kenna guessed they were marching to Harrenhal, that was the only other significant defensive structure in the immediate area that would serve as a better battle ground for the Lannister army than the grassy patch of Ruby Ford they had just vacated. When the cavalry had finished dispatching the mountain clansmen Lord Royce's booming voice could be heard urging the men on to chase the main Lannister army. _It looks like Lord Lannister would rather have a race that a battle,_ thought Kenna. The Arryn cavalry might be able to take the backend of the Lannister army or any stragglers but the crushing defeat that Kenna had hoped to inflict had been dashed by Tywin's strategic decision to retreat to Harrenhal.

When Kenna and her guards had navigated through the trail of dead bodies left in the wake of the Arryn cavalry and had caught up with the Arryn forces they had begun surrounding Harrenhal Castle cutting off potential supply points but not besieging its walls. Kenna sought out Lord Royce. She found him in the war council tent in animated discussion with a few other Vale noblemen over a table with numerous maps on it.

"My Lady" they all greeted her as she stepped in the tent. Kenna sat down in one of the chairs surrounding the table.

"What is our next move my Lords?" Kenna questioned.

"I suggest attacking them now my Lady when they are unprepared and recovering from their march," one dashing looking nobleman offered.

"Don't be a fool Corbray," Lord Royce bellowed. "Our army is recovering from the march as well. Our best course of action would be to starve them out my Lady."

All eyes fell on Kenna. "My Lords, our main purpose here was to distract Lord Tywin's host so Robb Stark could break the siege on Riverrun," Kenna looked at Lord Royce for support. He gave her a small nod in encouragement. "It seems to me that we have accomplished this and there is no need to take unnecessary risks. My Lords, I am sure you will agree with me that starving them out and maintaining our position is the correct course of action." The Lords voiced their approval apart from Lord Lyn Corbray who remained silent and they all excused themselves. Lord Royce was the last to leave.

"A very wise decision my Lady," Royce said with a fatherly expression on his face.

"You taught me well my Lord but the final decision is always yours as commander of this army," Kenna acknowledged.

"It's a good thing that we are thinking on the same page then," Royce said as he exited the tent.

* * *

Kenna woke the next morning to the noise of metal clanking on metal and men shouting in celebration. She immediately dressed herself in her battle attire attaching her duel daggers to her hip and grabbing her bow while rushing out her tent.

She found a common solider and asked what he was celebrating. The solider bowed but couldn't quite contain his excitement, "M'lady the Stark army has broken the siege at Riverrun and taken Jamie Lannister captive. His army was scattered to the winds M'Lady," he exclaimed.

A smile spread across Kenna's face. _The Stark boy had done it_, he had really defeated Jamie Lannister at Riverrun and destroyed the thirty thousand man host he commanded. Although Kenna wasn't a master military tactician fighting one army on one front is always preferable to fighting multiple armies on multiple fronts. This was a significant development in this so called War of the Five Kings and it took her a step closer to King's Landing and sweet revenge. She could almost hear Cersei's screams in the air around her.

Kenna still had a beaming smile when she walked into the war council tent. Her demeanour clashed with the Vale noblemen sitting at the table. Royce in particular had a miserable look on his face and simple held out a scroll for Kenna to read. _No, it can't be _thought Kenna while slumping into a chair as her smile quickly died on her face. Lord Eddard Stark had been executed on King Joffrey's orders for treason despite repenting and confessing. Kenna hastily excused herself, aware all eyes were on her and her reaction to the news.

She found herself back in her tent where she slowly sat down on her makeshift bed and let her childhood memories of Ned the _big brother_ wash over her. _Ned teaching her how to ride a horse while Robert laughed in the background, Ned carrying her to the Maester when she had fallen out a tree trying to follow her sister, and Ned consoling her before he went off to fight in Robert's rebellion._ Ned was now dead, just like Robert and just like her father. Kenna fought the tears that streamed down her face but the sense of loss was too strong. _I have to get justice for them. It is the duty of the living to do so for the dead_,thought Kenna with visible rage on her face as the tears continued to streak down her cheeks.

* * *


	6. The War of the Five Kings

* * *

_A few weeks later …_

_ **Harrenhal Castle, South East Riverlands** _

* * *

Tywin leaned on the outer stone wall of Harrenhal Castle and scanned the Arryn army surrounding the old castle looking for weak points in their perimeter. It was obvious to him that the opposing army was set up to strangle the holed up Lannister army into submission by denying them supplies. But Harenhal wasn't Storm's End. If it came to it a direct assault on a weak point in the perimeter should be successful and the Lannister army would be able to break through and the battle that was denied at Ruby Ford would occur at Harrenhal Castle.

Tywin's strategizing was interrupted by Tyrion who walked to stand beside Tywin.

"Are you enjoying the view Father," Tyrion asked while backing into the wall. His head didn't quite reach the height of the wall so there was no view for him to look at.

Tywin not one to indulge his son's jokes got straight to the point without breaking his line of sight to the Arryn camp. "Tell me about your time in the Eyrie."

Tyrion feint shock, "Well now that you ask Father I nearly got thrown out the famous moon door but Bronn defeated a Vale knight in trial by combat so I didn't end up smashed against the rocks below the Eyrie, how nice of you to ask."

Tywin clenched his fist in response and kept staring out at the industrious Arryn army below of him. "What did you think of Kenna Arryn?" Tywin dryly asked his son.

"Kenna Arryn, she was the one that nearly had me thrown out the moon door so my impressions are not good."

"Tyrion," warned Tywin.

"She has the respect of her vassals or they would have stayed in the Eyrie with Lady Lysa. She respected the outcome of my trial by combat so we can assume she lives up to her house words. She was quite ferocious when trying to get me to confess to the murder of her father. She said she wouldn't stop until she had extracted a confession from a Lannister, she wasn't too concerned with which one. In fact, Father I think you might quite like her. She seems to share your penchant for extreme violence when her house is threatened. You did hear about how the Greyjoy Rebellion ended didn't you? Nasty business that was. A man was left without a head I hear. I believe that episode gave Lady Kenna the nickname of _the Bloody Falcon_."

"I am aware that the Greyjoys got what they deserved". When Tywin didn't offer any other words Tyrion took this as his que to leave and go on the hunt for the wine cellar leaving his father to formulate the Lannisters next move.

* * *

Tywin had already met Lady Kenna seven years ago during the ten-year anniversary of Robert's ascension to the throne. Robert had thrown an over exuberant weeklong festival and celebration for all the major households to attend. Tywin normally avoided such things but it was a chance to see his children and ensure they were upholding the Lannister name.

During one of the many feasts Tywin had had enough of Robert's behaviour and the jovial festivities he had retreated to one of his known quiet spots he had discovered as Hand of the King over twenty-five years ago. He walked to the secluded balcony spot and looked out onto to King's Landing. The city hadn't progressed since he had departed as Aerys II's Hand all those years ago. The city was more crowded than ever but Robert hadn't seen to the advancement of the city roads, buildings or amenities. It was dangerous to be surrounded and outnumbered by the common folk mob, even more so when they were tired and hungry. It made ruling them more difficult and they would lay their frustrations at the feet of the ruling class. Tywin shook his head at the chaotic mess King's Landing had turned into during Robert's reign and turned from the balcony to rest in one of the plush seats he knew would be there only to find one was already occupied.

A young lady in a rich blue dress was sitting hunched over a board of cyvasse staring intently at the pieces. She looked up to see Tywin lingering between her and the balcony.

She gestured for Tywin to join her in the opposite chair. When Tywin remained unmoved with an unreadable expression on his face she sighed.

"My Lord please join me this is my fourth game and it is no fun beating myself," the young lady said in a bored tone.

Tywin didn't know if he just wanted an excuse not to return to the festivities or if he took issue with the young Lady assuming she would beat him in a game of cyvasse. He settled on it being a combination of both as he introduced himself.

"Lord Tywin Lannister my Lady, and you are?," Tywin demanded more than questioned.

"Lady Kenna Arryn my Lord," she said as Tywin lowered himself into the opposite seat.

_Ah the Arryn girl that had butchered Euron Greyjoy last year._ The way Jamie had described the event Tywin half expected this girl to be a depraved savage permanently stained red with blood. _She looks like a typical lady of the court to me,_ thought Tywin.

"Not one for the festivities then?" Kenna questioned while setting up the cyvasse board.

"No," Tywin simply answered. He wove his fingers together under his chin his eyes following Kenna's placement of the pieces. When the board was set Tywin took the first move and Kenna responded immediately countering Tywin's piece. This set the pattern of the game as Tywin played aggressively with Kenna trying to block and counter his attacks on the board. The game was played rapidly with Tywin appearing to know his next move before Kenna had even moved her piece to counter his last move. Tywin eventually cornered Kenna's King piece. Before he captured her King Tywin leaned across the board and asked, "do you surrender?"

"Never," Kenna replied defiantly as she resisted the urge to lean back. Tywin gave her a moment to reconsider and when she didn't concede he moved his dragon piece to claim Kenna's King.

"You play too defensively, cyvasse is a game of sacrifice, you have to know what pieces you are willing to give up in order to win," Tywin instructed as he moved to leave.

Kenna acknowledged his words and bid him goodnight while trying to hide the disbelief of being beaten with such ease.

Tywin broke from his memory and cast his eyes towards the hub of tents across from Harrenhal Castle.

_Let's see if you still play defensively my Lady._

* * *

"Tywin, is this wise," Kevan said while following his brother out of the gates of Harenhal. Earlier Tywin had sent some men out to arrange a meeting with the leaders of the Arryn army which had been accepted. The meeting place was to be between the two camps ensuring each negotiation party was in equal danger. Tywin didn't reply to Kevan as he urged his horse on. His brother knew that if he had suggested it, it was a wise course of action. Tywin, Kevan and thirty of Tywin's best men approached the meeting spot confidently aware that the garrison of Harrenhal was following their every move and if need be would cover their retreat with a barrage of arrows. The Arryn party had already reached the meeting spot and were watching the Lannister party arrive through distrustful eyes. Tywin spotted Lady Kenna sitting elegantly on a white horse draped in a light blue cloak flanked by numerous armoured Vale knights. A big burly man beside her leaned over his horse to speak to her.

"My Lady, you didn't have to be here for this," Lord Royce said softly to Kenna.

"I know but it would have shown weakness if I had not attended. The Vale has gone to war on my word the least I can do is to hear what the enemy has to say," Kenna replied resolutely while stroking her mare to calm it down as much as herself.

Lord Royce didn't look happy with that answer but soon replaced the doubt in his face with a mask of coldness for the incoming entourage of Lord Lannister.

Lord Tywin stopped his horse a few metres shy of the Arryn party. His face was covered partly by a helmet but there was no mistaking the hard stare he was giving the Arryn party and in particular Lady Kenna.

"Lady Arryn," Tywin said while inclining his head to her. "You seem to have found yourself on the front lines of a rebellion ….. again."

Kenna smiled sweetly, "where ever there is injustice my Lord I will fight it. Please allow me to introduce you to the commander of the Arryn forces. Yohn Royce Lord of Runestone."

Lord Royce gave Tywin the smallest of nods as he seized the other man up with his eyes ready to engage in war negotiations.

Tywin didn't even acknowledge Lord Royce as he kept his eyes on Lady Kenna. "What are you fighting for Lady Arryn? Bran Stark fell from a tower, your father died of old age and Eddard Stark was a traitor to the Crown."

Kenna felt the weight of Tywin's attention on her and it unsettled her. For the first time since declaring for the Starks she felt the nagging sensation of doubt creep up on her. What if Bran had simply slipped, her father's heart had finally given out to old age and Eddard had changed into a power hungry Lord. _The first two I could be mistaken but Eddard wanting power .. never in a hundred winters._ "Everything you just said Lord Lannister is a lie, but I wouldn't expect anything else from a Lannister," Kenna said with as much authority she could muster lifting her eyes to meet Tywin's.

Tywin's horse shifted slightly, _maybe betraying his masters anger, _thought Kenna. Tywin's golden flecked green eyes shined and he gave Kenna a look of intent. "If you survive this war my Lady you will see your involvement as a mistake that you will regret till the day you die," Tywin said in a steely voice coated with promise that caused Kenna to tremble lightly. A threat from Tywin Lannister wasn't to be taken lightly. Kenna might have stabbed Euron Greyjoy to death but that was in a fit of anger and truth be told she couldn't remember much of that encounter while Tywin had meticulously and cruelly ensured the total annihilation of two entire houses, women and children included, that dared to question House Lannister's power in the Westerlands. Kenna Arryn was doing more than questioning Tywin Lannister's power she was directly challenging it.

Lord Royce took over when it was clear Kenna wasn't going to reply. "If you are going to issue empty threats at my Lady this meeting is over."

"What empty threats are those Lord Royce?" Tywin shot back in a loud commanding voice.

The tension between the two parties was clear. Most men on each side had a hand on their sword just waiting for the order to strike. After a few beats of thick silence Lord Royce signalled for the Arryn party to retreat to their main camp. It took every ounce of control for Kenna to break eye contact with Lord Tywin and follow Lord Royce back to the camp. She was still trembling when she reached her tent.

Tywin's eyes were still tracing Kenna's back when Kevan suggested that they withdraw back to Harenhal. Tywin agreed and turned his horse. On the ride back to the Harrenhal Kevan was fiddling with his reigns.

"What is it Kevan?", Tywin demanded.

"We didn't demand any concessions; they didn't demand any either so what was the point of that meeting?"

This comment reminded Tywin that his brother was born to follow not to lead. "The meeting gave me a better idea of my opponent and what she might do in certain situations."

"You mean him; Lord Royce is in command of the Vale forces not Lady Arryn."

_Is he really, _mused Tywin as they reached the gates of Harenhal.

* * *

The next morning Kenna had regained her composure and sought out Lord Royce and the other Lords of the Vale. They discussed the possible next moves of the war.

"We could keep Tywin Lannister's forces here until he decides to come out of his castle or we could do something unexpected," Lord Royce was saying with some enthusiasm.

The Lords encouraged Royce to continue as Kenna sat quietly listening. She still hadn't recovered from her encounter with Lord Tywin. If she didn't win this war he would destroy her house. All she could see was Alyssa's body hanging from a noose, Robin's body lying in a puddle of blood, and little Arty's head detached from his body. _No I can't think like this; I did the right thing to support the Starks._

"… It could work," Royce was saying in a forceful manner.

"What could work?" Kenna enquired.

Lord Royce straightened himself and said in dramatic fashion, "We could take Casterly Rock my Lady."

Kenna thought about this proposal. Taking Casterly Rock and devastating the Westerlands in the process would ensure that there would be no reinforcements for the Tywin Lannister's host and no threat from the West to the Riverlands if the Stark and Arryn forces moved to take King's Landing. The Westerlands had mustered two strong hosts both weren't in the Westerlands anymore with Jamie's having been routed at Riverrun and Tywin's holed up at Harrenhal and that likely left Casterly Rock at its weakest it had ever been. But there was a reason it had never been taken.

_It is time to be bold, playing defensively will not get me to King's Landing,_ Kenna thought remembering Tywin Lannister's words to her all those years ago.

Kenna stood from her chair and rested both hands on the table addressing the gathered group of Vale nobility, "we ride for the Riverlands to join with the Stark boy and then onwards to Casterly Rock, if my Lords agree?" Kenna inquired. She was met with nods and ayes. If Lord Lannister didn't want to come out and fight, then so be it. _Threats have consequences Lord Lannister and your threat will lead me to your boyhood home,_ Kenna thought vindictively.


	7. Northern Council

* * *

_Few days later … _

**Harrenhal Castle, South-East Riverlands**

* * *

Tyrion marched to his father's chambers and narrowly avoided crashing into a little boy carrying an empty wine jug.

_Ah Father's cup bearer, I will be needing some wine for this conversation._

"Boy, fetch another jug of wine," Tyrion demanded before entering Tywin's chambers and passing the two guards at the door. "Lord Father I presume you have heard the news?" Tyrion said while manoeuvring his way into the seat opposite Tywin.

Tywin was sat at his desk studiously reading various pieces of parchment. He had looked up at Tyrion upon his entry to the solar but then started to write a letter. Tyrion was use to this treatment and always found the best course of action was to drum his fingers against the available surfaces to let his father know he was there and wasn't going to leave until acknowledged. This time Tyrion had chosen the wooden arms of the chair to drum his fingers on while looking around the room. _This place could really do with some decorations to cover up the dragon fire damage,_ mused Tyrion.

Lord Tywin set down his ink quill and was about to address Tyrion when the cupbearer appeared with another jug of wine and poured Tyrion a glass, Tywin gestured that he didn't want one and the jug was left on the table. Once the cupbearer had left Tywin started tidying up his desk and rolling up the letter he had just been writing.

Tyrion tried again, "Did you know that the Arryn camp was no match for your mighty stare? Or during your parley did you have your men sing the _Rains of Castamere_ to them?" When Tywin once again ignored him in favour of sealing the letter Tyrion continued, "well whatever you did it worked. The army is packing up their tents and retreating back to the Eyrie."

Tywin graced Tyrion with eye contact. Tyrion could tell from his father's face that he was in a thundering mood. _I better be careful here_, Tyrion noted to himself.

"They have Jamie," Tywin said in a solemn voice that barely hide the undertone of rage that radiated from Tywin.

"What? The Starks have Jamie?" _That would mean the siege on Riverrun was unsuccessful and his army is scattered_, Tyrion summarised. This did not leave the Lannisters in a good tactical position.

"And Renly and Stannis have taken up arms against us both declaring themselves King," Tywin glowered.

_This just keeps getting better no wonder Father looks like an animal crawled up his ass and died,_ Tyrion thought. "At least the Arryn girl has retreated to the Eyrie and that leaves us .."

The rage Tywin had been holding in burst out "She isn't going to the Eyrie," Tywin roared while slamming a hand on his desk making Tyrion involuntarily flinch. If Kenna had learnt anything from the cyvasse game all those years ago and Tywin suspected she had, then Kenna was not marching her army back to the Eyrie but to the Riverlands. _The Bloody Falcon has found her courage and is playing offensively it seems,_ Tywin thought while calming his features.

After a few seconds of silence Tyrion's sense of curiosity outweighed his fear of his father's wrath and he asked "Do you have another destination for her to march her army to?"

"The Riverlands," Tywin said without an explanation.

Tyrion tapped his fingers on the arm of his chair a few times while his other hand supported his cheek. "Ah you think she will join her army with the Starks and march on King's Landing?"

Tywin leaned back into his chair and focused on Tyrion. "I think that the Stark boy and Lady Arryn will consolidate their control over the Riverlands and wait for one of the Baratheons to take King's Landing and then pressure the weakened winner into conceding to their demands. If Eddard Stark was still alive we could have brokered peace with Winterfell and Riverrun. The Arryn girl would never have gotten involved either." To Tyrion's surprise, Tywin let out a deep sigh, "but now its madness, madness and stupidity. That is why I am sending you to King's Landing to be Hand of the King in my absence."

"So I am killed in the capture of King's Landing?" Tyrion said in exasperation.

"No," Tywin scoffed, "you will rule in my stead and bring that boy king to heel and his mother too if needs be and if you get so much as a whiff of treason from any of the rest Baelish, Varys, Pycelle-"

"Heads, spikes, walls ... why not my Uncle? Why not anyone? Why me?" Tyrion asked incredibly, scarcely believing the words coming out his father's mouth.

Tywin looked directly into Tyrion's eyes, "You're my son." After a beat he continued, "Prepare the defences at King's Landing and if the Baratheons move on King's Landing my host will counter them."

"I hear that Renly Baratheon has over a hundred thousand men."

"Then you better get started," Tywin deadpanned.

"Here take this, it has my seal on it. Show it to anyone that gives you any trouble," Tywin said while holding out the letter he had written previously.

Tyrion just sat in his chair still in a state of disbelief. He wasn't use to being acknowledged by his father let alone given any serious responsibility. But here was his father giving him the role of Hand of the King and the blessing to curb Cersei and Joffrey's madness. Tyrion took the offered letter.

"Now go," Tywin indicated for Tyrion to leave. Tyrion shrugged out the chair and head to the door. He looked back at his father. Tywin was busy leafing through the various parchments and ledgers on his desk. Tyrion long forgotten.

* * *

_A week later … _

**Outskirts of Riverrun, West Riverlands**

* * *

Robb and Catelyn Stark sat on their horses atop a hill watching the Arryn forces make their way to the Starks camp. From this distance it looked like an endless line of men and horses. They looked well armoured and disciplined. Robb allowed a smile to break out on his face. It was one thing to ask for help, it was another to actually receive it and see it. _With the Arryn army we are one step closer to taking King's Landing and getting the girls back,_ thought Robb. He missed his sisters and his brothers but the only way to get the girls back and return to Winterfell was to win this war.

Catelyn had already informed Robb of the events in the Eyrie and told Robb that Lady Kenna was among the incoming Arryn army. Robb thought it strange for a woman to ride with an army but reminded himself that his mother was with him to provide council and this wasn't Lady Kenna's first time riding with an army. Robb's father had returned to Winterfell from the Greyjoy Rebellion with an eight-year-old Theon Greyjoy and stories of the failed Rebellion. Jon and Robb would beg to be told a bedtime story of the doomed Greyjoy Rebellion. Eddard would normally indulge them but he never spoke of the demise of Euron Greyjoy or his crew.

"Did she really tie Euron's crew to the outside of her ship then sail directly to the Eyrie?" Robb questioned to his mother.

"That is what your Father told me. It is said that when her ship pulled into the harbour at Gulltown only bones were left of the men she had attached to the outside of her ship."

"I wonder if they drowned first or sea creatures got them," Robb said with a grim face.

"I am telling you this Robb because she is our ally in this war and she viewed your father like a brother. She isn't the typical southern lady of the court she will fight tooth and nail for us."

"I am not sure I have met any northern Ladies that have personally beheaded someone either although I hear the Mormont girl is quite fierce," Robb chuckled trying to lighten the tone of the conversation.

"You can laugh Robb but I saw Euron Greyjoy's skull," Robb immediately turned to look at his mother with wide eyes. "It was sitting on Lady Kenna's desk being used as an ink pot."

Robb whistled and replied, "I wouldn't tell Theon that."

"Yes," agreed Catelyn, "I think it might be best to keep Theon away from Lady Kenna. We should greet the Vale commanders and Lady Kenna," Catelyn advice.

"I agree but I don't see Lady Kenna or Lord Royce yet," Robb said while staring at the Arryn army slowly making its way towards them.

"There he is," Catelyn said while kicking her horse forward. Robb followed on her heels.

* * *

Once Robb and Catelyn had reached Lord Royce and introductions had been made Robb inquired about the location of Kenna Arryn.

"Your Grace, my Lady cannot fight in a battle but she hates to be useless. The last I heard she was hunting beside the army as we marched to meet you. She will be here soon I suspect."

No sooner had Lord Royce finished his sentence than a party of a few dozen on horseback rode up beside him. Robb looked at the front rider, it was a woman. _This must be Lady Kenna._ She had a few rabbits draped over her horse.

Kenna trotted to a stop opposite Catelyn, "Lady Stark it is a pleasure to see you again, I am sorry about how our time ended in the Eyrie. I desperately wanted Tyrion to face justice for his crimes but it appears the Gods had other plans."

Catelyn shook her head. "It doesn't matter now. We will get justice when our banner men march on King's Landing and when my girls are safe."

"I am also sorry for Ned, he was like a brother to me," Kenna said in a sober tone. Kenna urged her horse forward so that she was directly opposite Robb. "It is too late to save our Fathers but we can still give them justice and rescue your sisters."

Robb nodded at Kenna's words. "It seems we have much to discuss and plan for. Please follow me and we can get started."

* * *

Kenna and Lord Royce followed the two Starks back to their camp and to their war council tent. They were greeted by a dozen rough looking Northern Lords who all barked in various tones, "Your Grace, my Lady, my Lady, my Lord."

"Your Grace," Kenna said slowly to Robb, unaware of the newly established power dynamic.

"My banner men declared me King in the North and we bow to no one now," Robb responded in a commanding voice.

Kenna acknowledged Robb's statement and bowed, "Your Grace, shall we commence this war council?"

Robb nodded and everyone seated themselves around the thick wooden table. Kenna had Lord Royce on her left and Robb on her right. The discussion touched upon Kenna's encounter with Lord Tywin in Harenhal, the Starks routing of Jamie Lannister's forces at Riverrun and the price Robb had to pay to pass at the Twins. There were a few chuckles on the last subject from the Northern Lords.

"Our next move is to surely stick our swords up Tywin Lannister's bumhole?", a big wild looking man blurted out in a boisterous voice.

"While I appreciate your enthusiasm Lord Umber if we take Harrenhal, we might not have enough men to take King's Landing and it would be much easier to take King's Landing if we had ships as well," Robb replied in a steady voice. "Theon has agreed to meet with his father and negotiate on our behalf for him to join our rebellion with his armada and men. With his ships and our combined armies, we could easily take King's Landing and perhaps Harrenhal on our way to King's Landing."

Kenna looked at Royce and he gave a nod. She stood up from her seat and addressed the assembled nobles. "Your Grace, my Lords and Lady. I have another suggestion. We could simply consolidate our power in the Riverlands while waiting for one of the Baratheons to make a move on King's Landing. Tywin Lannister may even intercept the attacking force meaning Harenhal won't need to be sieged and both Lannister and Baratheon armies would be weakened. Leaving us in a strong position to either capture King's Landing from the remaining Lannister's or demand the victorious Baratheon recognises the North as its own separate Kingdom and execute Cersei Lannister for the murder of my father."

Before Robb could respond Theon stood up and filled the silence immediately. "With my father's ships and men we wouldn't need to wait for Stannis or Renly to make a move we would destroy Harenhal and King's Landing on our own," Theon blustered while glaring at Kenna with barely concealed hatred.

_I am not going to win that boy over, he looks like he would murder me in my sleep,_ Kenna thought while returning Theon's intense stare.

Robb placed his hands under his chin wearing a serious expression on his face. He took a few moments to think on the proposed courses of action while resisting looking to his mother for guidance. He unclasped his hands and looked at the gathered Lords.

"Both are realistic options but I will send my mother to treat with Renly Baratheon for an alliance, he has over a hundred thousand men and the Tyrell's support. If he is with us we can advance on Harrenhal while Renly takes King's Landing. I have no desire to be King of the Seven Kingdoms. I want my sisters back then we will return to the North. Let Renly have the Iron Throne. If Renly refuses, we will wait for his attack on King's Landing and then attack ourselves with the support of the Greyjoys," Robb said and gave Theon a nod.

Kenna spoke up again. "If Renly is unsure of the benefits of an alliance with the Starks alone Lady Stark, please suggest to him that I would be willing to marry Ser Loras to establish an alliance between the Tyrells, Arryns, Barathons and Starks." Kenna had no desire to get married to anyone, especially since she saw what men had done to her sister but if it made their victory almost assured then she would do it. Besides she had heard that Ser Loras preferred men and that would suit her just fine.

"Yes my Lady," Lady Stark replied and Robb dismissed the council.

Lord Royce and Lady Kenna left first. Lord Umber watched Lady Kenna leave the tent and then spoke to another Northern Lord, "If she marries the Knight of the Flowers he'll end up being the Lady in that marriage." This earned a round of laughter as they walked out the tent. Theon said his goodbyes to Robb before travelling to the Iron Islands leaving Catelyn and Robb alone.

"We will get them back mother, one-way other the other they will return to the North where they belong," Robb promised gently.

* * *

"Maybe I should declare myself Queen over the Mountains till my brother comes of age," Kenna jested as she reached her own tent.

"The Queen over the Mountains and the King of the Flowers, those two things don't seem to go together my Lady," Lord Royce joked. Lord Royce suddenly stopped walking and tapped Kenna's shoulder. He stared into Kenna's eyes for a few seconds struggling to get his mouth to utter the thoughts swimming in his mind.

"Yes?" Kenna questioned slowly not use to Lord Royce holding his tongue with her.

"If you truly wished to be Queen over the Mountains, Queen over the East and declare the Vale an independent kingdom once more my Lady I would support you and so would all of the Vale nobility. They would stand proud beside you," Lord Royce said at Kenna's shoulder.

"I was joking," said with a raised eyebrow.

"I am not my Lady. Over the past nine years you have ruled the Eyrie it has been the most peaceful and prosperous I have seen in my lifetime. You have established trade routes with Braavos, all but exterminated the mountain clans and navigated the tricky pride of the Vale Lords. I would rather bow to you than some Baratheon who sits on an Iron Throne or some boy King in the North."

Taken aback by what Royce was implying Kenna paused by the tent flap. "If I become a Queen I am usurping my brother. He is the rightful ruler of the Vale and I am just safekeeping it till he can rule it himself."

"And if that day never comes? What if the Baratheons see our alliance with the Starks as a rebellion against the crown they see as rightfully theirs? As an independence bid in itself already?" Lord Royce questioned quickly.

"We will deal with those issues if they become problems. Goodnight my Lord," Kenna said disappearing into her tent. Lord Royce was left to wonder if he had pushed the issue to hard.

_Shame Queen over the Mountains had a nice ring to it,_ thought Kenna,_ but Father would be spinning in his grave if I were to start a family feud. As High as Honour, those are my words._


	8. The Children of Virtue and Vengeance

* * *

_The next day ..._

**Stark Camp, Outskirts of Riverrun, Western Riverlands**

* * *

Kenna watched as Robb Stark and his direwolf left the cage containing Jamie Lannister. The boy King had a look of satisfaction on his face as he gently patted his beast that trotted beside him. Kenna approached the cage carefully observing Jamie with every step. Jamie looked a mess mud covered his clothing and his face. He had a look of pure concentration on his face like he was trying to figure out how to escape his current predicament. When Kenna approached the cage Jamie schooled his face into an irritating grin.

"Lady Kenna, am I that monstrous that you need the bars of a cage between us to feel safe. I am already chained down like a disobedient dog," Jamie teased.

"Ser Jamie, Lion of the West. It is a pleasure to see you again after such a long time. As a child I seem to remember you swanning about King's Landing in your white Kingsguard amour. How times change," Kenna mocked while watching Jamie through the bars of the cage.

"Yes times do change, you may find yourself in a cage one day," Jamie snapped.

"Maybe but not today," Kenna said while trailing her had across the bars to Jamie's cage.

"What does the _Bloody Falcon_ want with me?" Jamie finally asked after the silence grew too much for him.

Kenna hated that nickname, it reminded her of too much sorrow and the rage that had consumed her. "Well _Kingslayer _I want a confession. Stannis has already sent letters to everyone who can read that you fathered the royal children. The cat is out the bag so just confess that you had my Father killed to keep your incest a secret. If you do your children may be spared and sent to the wall when we storm King's Landing."

"As I told the Stark boy, how convenient for Stannis that would leave him as the true King of the Seven Kingdoms."

"He isn't wrong though is he," Kenna accused.

"I am tired of repeating myself go talk to the Stark boy he will tell you what I have already said," Jamie growled.

Kenna walked around the cage behind Jamie's back so he couldn't see her. "I see it now," Kenna murmured slowly.

"What," Jamie barked trying to crane his neck to see Kenna. When Kenna stepped back into his line of sight she had a thoughtful look on her face.

"Your arrogance and boldness wouldn't allow you to use poison as a weapon, you aren't that subtle and the Gods deemed your brother innocent. That leaves your sister and when I get my hands on her she will either die screaming or die confessing."

Jamie tried to get closer to Kenna but his shackles prevented him. "If you hurt Cersei there is nothing in this world that would stop me from hunting you down," Jamie shouted.

"Spoken like a true lover. Your father doesn't know does he? He doesn't seem the sort to dismiss incest," Kenna theorised.

"What would you know of my father?" Jamie retorted.

Thinking back to the meeting at Harrenhal Kenna replied "I know that if I don't win this war, he will doom my house so your threats don't concern me that much. I take it you won't implicate your sister in the murder of my Father?"

Jamie didn't move a muscle or utter a word.

"Well your sister is the only Lannister left to have the motive and the means to have murdered my father so by the process of elimination she is condemned to be executed the moment I walk through the gates of King's Landing." Kenna gave Jamie one last menacing glare and walked off back to her tent.

Jamie watched her walk away and promised himself that he wouldn't let Kenna anywhere near Cersei. He had to escape.

* * *

_Few weeks later …._

**Stone Mill, crossing on the Red Fork of the Trident, Western Riverlands**

* * *

Over the course of the next few weeks' significant battles were won in the Stark and Arryn favour. The Battle of the Yellow Fork decimated the regrouped forces of Jamie Lannister's host and the Battle of Oxcross crushed the newly recruited Lannister soldiers in the Westerlands and gave a strategic platform to attack Casterly Rock.

Kenna found herself alongside Edmure Tully at Stone Mill a crossing of the Red Fork of the Trident in the western Riverlands as her main army was marching towards Oxcross to join the Stark host.

Kenna surveyed the area around her army. There was barely a patch that was not touched by violence or set on fire.

"Ser Gregor Clegane the Mountain has been here," Edmure summarised. "He never leaves a person alive if he can help it. He is no knight," Edmure said with disgust.

Kenna nodded her agreement while watching her army pass through the river crossing. "This is where we part my Lord. I thank you for escorting me this far with your men but as you can see I have an army to protect me on my way to Casterly Rock which I need to catch up with."

Edmure smiled while inclining his head. "It was my pleasure my Lady. I hope we see each other after this war is won." He paused. "Maybe I could visit the Eyrie when-."

Edmure never got to finish that sentence as the small Tully party started to shout behind him. He turned his horse to see a charging Ser Gregor Clegane closing in on their position with fifty men at his back. Edmure turned to Kenna to urge her to retreat but she had already kicked her horse to gallop in the direction of her unaware army crossing the river bridge.

She only got a few metres before a few arrows lodged themselves into her horse which prompted the horse to crash to the dirty floor whining in pain. The horse wasn't the only one in pain as the weight of it threatened to crush Kenna. She managed to untangle herself from her stirrups and wriggle out from underneath the horse. She looked behind her and what she saw turned her face white.

The Mountain had smashed through the Tully line and was rapidly eating up the space between them. He wielded an insanely large sword that was already coated red. Kenna fumbled around the horse looking for her bow aware each second brought the Mountain closer to her. She spotted the bow and notched an arrow while standing up and aiming at the onrushing Mountain. He was at best only a hundred metres from her. The Mountain was a huge target but she would only have a few chances to unseat the Mountain before he would cleave her in two.

She took a breath and released her first arrow. It sailed towards the Mountain and bounced of his armour. Eighty metres. Kenna calmed herself and pulled back again on the bowstring. This time she aimed for the horse. The arrow found its target but the horse didn't slow. It carried on as if the pain from the arrow was nothing compared to the fear of displeasing its rider. Fifty metres. Kenna started to panic. She couldn't outrun the Mountain or hide. The area was too open she would get cut down and there was nowhere to hide. She raised the bow again. Twenty metres. The Mountain had his sword in one hand ready to swing in eager anticipation. She prayed to all the Gods that would listen and let her third arrow fly. It struck the Mountain in his eye. The Mountain gave out an almighty and frightening cry of pain but this still didn't stop his charge or make him drop his sword. Ten metres. Kenna let the bow slip from her grasp, there was nothing else she could do but wait for death to claim her. She started to think of her sweet old father, the mother she could barely remember, her sister's face, Arty's inquisitive eyes, and her unfulfilled revenge.

Just as the Mountain was about to swing down with his long sword. A shield wall formed around her. She saw Arryn men surround her and dragged her away from the raging Mountain who was smashing shields and bones. She didn't dare look back as a young Arryn solider on a horse pulled her up to sit behind him and rode to the crossing. She sagged into the Arryn soldier's firm back not caring if this was inappropriate. Her heart beat was deafening. She let her forehead rest on the back of the soldier.

The soldier must have felt the movement. "My Lady you are safe now, the army is just ahead," he said reassuringly.

Indeed, the bulk of the army was still crossing the bridge but a platoon of cavalry thundered past Kenna, rushing to the aid of the Tully men. The Arryn soldier brought the horse to a stop before Lord Royce, who helped Kenna dismount.

"My Lady are you hurt?" Lord Royce asked urgently.

"No Yohn, just a bit shaken."

The use of his first name indicated to Royce that she was more than simply shaken.

"You will stay with me from now on and not wander around the army," Royce said in a voice that didn't leave room for debate. Kenna silently nodded while the image of the Mountain danced in her mind. She had seen death and it had nearly swallowed her whole.

Royce spoke to the solider. "What is your name boy?"

"Jasper Egen, my Lord."

"An Egen, your brother was Ser Vardis Egen captain of the household guards at the Eyrie."

"Yes he was until he got thrown out the moon door during Lord Tyrion's trial by combat, my Lord," the young knight said with sadness in his features.

"You are now Lady Arryn's personal bodyguard as she clearly needs one." Lord Royce sent a pointed look at Kenna but she was still staring off in the direction of the Mountain.

Royce turned to look as well. It appeared the Mountain was retreating with his men being chased by the Tully party as the Arryn cavalry that had broken off the main host to defend Kenna came sauntering back.

_Time to go,_ thought Lord Royce.

* * *

_Few days later … _

**Oxcross, Three days ride from Casterly Rock, Westerlands**

* * *

Kenna was looking down at the Northern and Arryn Lords squabbling about who should attack Casterly Rock. Jasper hovered just behind her casting a protective eye over the environment. The issue that was being debated or shouted about in the Northern Lords case was that one army had to stay and defend the Riverlands in case of an attack by Tywin Lannister from Harenhal but both Stark and Arryn Lords wanted the glory that would come with the capture of Casterly Rock.

_Men always liked being the first to do something,_ mused Kenna.

Kenna turned to her left to see Robb who was also watching the commotion with an amused look on his face while leaning on the same wooden railing that she was. Kenna decided this would be her best chance to proclaim her army the more suited to lay siege to Casterly Rock. She made her way over to the King in the North.

"Your Grace, may I?" Kenna asked pointing towards the space beside him.

Robb gestured for Kenna to join him. "I heard you bloodied the Mountain."

Kenna took in a deep intake of breath at the mention of the Mountain. His charge and cries of rage still occupied her dreams. It wasn't the blood or the violence that affected her or Euron Greyjoy would have been a permanent fixture in her nightly routine. She had charged at Euron with rage in her heart but it was justified rage that led to her actions. The Mountain appeared fuelled by anger, a monster on the rampage. She had looked in his eyes and saw no soul, no mercy, just the burning desire to rip and tear people apart. She had nearly become one of those people and it terrified her. She was scared of death only a fool wouldn't be. It was the great unknown and she still had a purpose to achieve in this life. Cersei would pay for taking her father from this world into the unknown.

Robb waited patiently for Kenna to reply keeping his eyes on her face. Absorbing all the detail he could.

"Your Grace, I shot him with an arrow through his eye and he still lives," Kenna said in a tired voice.

"Yes he still lives but you got the closest anyone has ever come to killing the Mountain. I would wear that like a badge of honour my Lady. The men are already trying to come up with a song. The Falcon that rides the Mountain I believe they are going to name it."

"I am honoured, your Grace. May we speak about our next move in this war?"

Robb walked to the other side of Kenna so he was between her and Jasper Egen. "We may but I won't promise to agree with you."

Kenna acknowledged him and started her prepared argument. "The Arryn army is in a better position to capture the Rock. We are used to the terrain and the layout of the castle," Kenna said with conviction.

"How are you familiar with Casterly Rock?" Robb questioned Kenna moving his eyes to the Lords below.

"Did you know that the Eyre was built and designed on Casterly Rock? An ancestor of mine visited the Rock and was jealous so he returned to the Vale with schematics and floor plans of Casterly Rock and built the Eyrie to rival it. I have studied these plans and have already identified how an army might take Casterly Rock."

"Those plans must be hundreds of years old," Robb said doubtfully.

"Better than no plans," Kenna shot back. "Your Grace, you are in a better position than I to defend the Riverlands with your family connections to the Tully's and I hear you have a wedding to organise with the Freys. Let me take the Rock while you continue to consolidate and gain support in the Riverlands. Once I have taken Casterly Rock and crushed the Lannister resistance there will be no threat from the West and we can move south to King's Landing without worrying what is behind us."

"You talk a lot of sense my Lady," Robb said begrudgingly while pushing himself of the railing. "Fine it is decided. You will besiege the Rock and devastate the Westerlands. I will muster more support in the Riverlands and repel any attacks from Tywin Lannister."

"Good your Grace because my siege of Casterly Rock began weeks ago," Kenna said with a twinkle in her eye.

Robb gave her a look of surprise but didn't seemed too bothered by it as he preceded to announce his decision to the gathered nobility with the Northern Lords looking displeased and the Vale Lords looking triumphant.

Robb turned back to face Kenna, "I bid you good fortune in the siege my Lady. With any luck one of the Baratheons will have made their move on King's Landing by the time we regroup." Robb paused for a beat and gently took hold of Kenna's shoulder. "Make sure you kill as many Lannisters as you can and I promise to bring you the Mountains head," he said to Kenna with a vicious gleam in his eyes before rallying his banner men back to Riverrun.

_I will your Grace for our Fathers, _thought Kenna_. _As Robb left with his men she shook her head. _I have to get better at hiding my feelings if a Northerner can see through my mask and deduce I am afraid of the Mountain._

* * *

Lord Royce was waiting for her in her tent as Kenna ducked inside. Kenna relayed the King in the North's decision and instructed Lord Royce to prepare the Knights of the Vale to march on Casterly Rock. Lord Royce gave an excited bow and rushed off.

Kenna had long theorised how an enemy force might infiltrate the Eyrie and how she could counter an assault on the Eyrie's walls. She never thought she would herself be utilising this knowledge to attack Casterly Rock. She had always envisaged her role in the Vale as the protector, maintaining the land for her father and now Robin but it seems that sometimes the best defence is a good offense. The Rock would be taken and the threat from the West extinguished. The next time she set foot in King's Landing she would be its conqueror.

The only thing left to do now to enact her plan was to alert her agents inside Casterly Rock that they would be needed soon.


	9. The Fall of the Rock

* * *

_Few days later … _

**Casterly Rock, Seat of power of House Lannister in the Westerlands**

* * *

The Lannister captain looked out from his tower. The glow of the camped Arryn army was hard to miss in the darkness of the night even for the newly recruited soldiers. Most of them had been peasants or farmers the previous month with more experience wielding sickles and scythes than swords and bows. Everything was too new for his liking: new soldiers, new servants, new Kings. Now it was their job to defend Casterly Rock from the rebels. The Lannister captain sighed, he had been a soldier who fought in the Sacking of King's Landing but he was old now and had wished to remain retired to look after his grandkids and to watch the sun rise and fall without hearing another man's terrified screams. Alas war had come back to Westeros and he had been called upon to raise his sword again in defence of his home and liege lord. He had been left with four hundred green boys to defend the walls of Casterly Rock. The lack of men and experienced didn't worry him. The walls of Casterly Rock had never been breached thanks to the narrow Lion's Mouth path that led to the gates of Casterly Rock. It didn't matter how outnumbered they were, as only a line of twenty by twenty soldiers could attack the main gate at any one time and there were no twenty men strong enough to break down the main gate. _Maybe if there were twenty Mountains it might be possible._ The archers on the wall were only limited by the number of arrows they could fire at the doomed men banging on the gate. As long as they controlled the gate. The Arryn army were not going to get in. That was a fact.

The Lannister captain looked around, he could count forty men guarding the gate this night while a dozen servants milled around fetching food and water for the guards. He climbed down his tower to make the rounds with his men to make sure they were alert and focused. He approached a Lannister guard who was sitting down beside the outer wall with his crossbow hugged to his stomach.

"Hey what are you doing, you should be keeping watch," he scolded the lazy guard.

The guard didn't reply so the captain went up to him and kicked him in the leg. Still no movement. That's when the captain spotted the dagger embedded in his torso and almost missed the blood surrounding the wound as it blended in with the red cloth. He backed away turning ready to shout out when he came face to face with one of the servants. He was about to pushed the servant aside when he felt a sharp pain in the side of his throat. The servant just smiled and pushed the small knife further into his throat. He fell to the floor, both hands grasping at his neck holding the dagger in place, his eyes swept the towers and the courtyard. All the Lannister guards were unmoving while the servants walked silently unobstructed to the gate mechanism and started to lift it up. His vision started to blur but he clearly saw soldiers bearing the Arryn sigil of the Falcon march quietly through gate.

_The camp lights were a trick, the army was already here, the servants …. were Arryn spies, _the overwhelming feeling of panic was the last thing the Lannister captain felt as he bled out while the Arryn army marched in a small line through the gate. The remaining and unaware Lannister soldiers stood no chance as they were outnumbered one to ten. Most surrendered but were killed anyway, some fought and died in the corridors dressed in their smallclothes.

Ser Kevan, the current custodian of the Rock was in a meeting with the other remaining Westerland Lords to discuss how to best defend the Rock when the Arryn men burst through the door and held them at sword point.

* * *

"Good evening my Lords," Kenna said smugly while entering the room with Jasper at her side. All the Lannister Lords remained in their seats with the encouragement of the steel pressed to their necks. "By now you will understand that you are no longer in control of Casterly Rock. My men have killed the little resistance there was and are securing the defences and the armouries. As such I would advise you to officially surrender." The last comment was directed at Ser Kevan who sat at the head of the table.

"And what would you do with us if we just conceded?" Kevan asked leaning back into his chair trying to avoid the edge of the sword Lord Royce was using to pin him to his seat.

"I would have you write a letter to your brother urging him to return the Stark girls least he want the Westerlands set on fire and then I would have your Lords escorted to the famous cells that dwell in the depths of the Rock. If there is no more resistance to us, then there need be no more Lannister blood spilt."

Kevan didn't take very long to concede. In truth he had very little option. Refuse and he along with his fellow Lords would have simply have been killed. His brother always said to avoid pointless deaths and he channelled him while eyeing Lady Kenna. "Do you think there will be no consequences for taking the Rock?"

"Did your family think there would be no consequences for stealing the throne from Robert Baratheon and beheading Eddard Stark?" Kenna replied, her words seeping with rage.

Ser Kevan and Lady Kenna just stared at each other until the Vale men dragged all the Lannister Lords off to the cells.

Lord Royce watched the Lannister Lords protest and struggle against their capturers as they were manhandled out the room. Ser Kevan complied quietly but his eyes didn't leave Kenna's until he was ushered through the door by Jasper. Kenna walked towards Royce with a puzzled look on her face and tapped the top of the head chair nervously with her hand.

"Now we have the Rock, what do we do with it?" she asked tentatively.

Royce chuckled. "Did you not think about what would happen when we took the Rock?"

"I was too busy thinking about how to take the Rock and praying my plan would work," Kenna said in a quiet voice as she fiddled with the dagger hilt jutting out from her hip.

"Well your plan certainly worked my Lady. But let's not rest on our laurels. We should restock the army with weapons, food supplies, ransom the lesser Lords back to their families, keep any Lords of value with us for leverage in future negotiations with Tywin Lannister, wipe out any resistance parties in the Westerlands and torch the land as Tywin is doing in the Riverlands."

Kenna gave Lord Royce an impressed look. "Yes, give the commands. I will notify the Starks of our victory here."

* * *

The next few weeks were spent carrying out Lord Royce's commands. There was some resistance in Lannisport from Ser Davon Lannister, a good nephew to Lord Tywin Lannister but he gave himself up when Lannisport was threaten to be set on fire. The Westerlands were firmly under the control of the Arryn army. The surviving Lannister Lords were imprisoned in the belly of the Rock and the Arryn army was resting and resupplying. Kenna noted they were in a good position tactically. Her army could ride at a moment's notice and she had no qualms about leaving Casterly Rock in ruins behind her. She once again awaited word from the King in the North.

The feeling of inactivity didn't sit well with Kenna but it took time for an army to rest and avoid the pitfalls of fatigue. The Arryn army had done the Vale proud. It had chased Tywin Lannister to Harrenhal, ensuring Robb Starks victory at Riverrun and became the first army ever to breach the walls of Casterly Rock. _Let them enjoy their victories then,_ thought Kenna as she observed her men maintaining their amour and swords in the courtyard of Casterly Rock. _It is time for me to enjoy my victories too,_ and there was nothing more enjoyable about a victory than revelling in the defeat of your foe.

* * *

Jasper was a few paces ahead of Kenna as they descended further into the bowels of the Rock. Jasper reached a solid looking wooden door supported by metal hinges and knocked. An Arryn guard opened the door to reveal another corridor with multiple doors on either side.

"Ser Kevan?" Kenna asked the guard. The guard nodded and led Kenna and Jasper to Kevan's cell.

The door creaked open. Ser Kevan was sat in a heap of chains that attached to the grime coated wall behind him. He wasn't alone. Ser Daven Lannister was equally entangled in chains on the same wall. Ser Kevan had a grim face but Ser Daven was scowling so fiercely with his mane of blond hair highlighting his face that he looked every bit a lion should be. Albeit a captured one.

Kenna and Jasper stepped into the cell, "Greetings, Sers."

"What more do you want?" Daven roared as he rose from his sitting position, the chains trailing him and clinking as he moved.

"I want my father's murderer on their knees in front of me, begging for their life," Kenna replied calmly.

"And sacking Casterly Rock, and threatening to burn Lannisport gets you that?" Daven said in exasperation.

"No but it gets me one step closer to storming King's Landing. And my father's murderer resides in King's Landing." Kenna looked to Kevan, "You actually know her quite well."

Ser Daven was about to release another roar when Ser Kevan asked in a quiet voice betraying his tiredness, "How did you do it? How did you infiltrate the Rock? No strangers passed through the Lion's Mouth for months. How did your men get in?"

Kenna smiled and moved closer to Kevan to address his question. _He wants to know how he failed, how he was defeated._ "My men did not pass through the Lion's Mouth. They came from below." Enjoying the confused look on Kevan's face and the opportunity to explain her plan she took a further step towards Kevan. "Weeks ago twenty of my best men sailed to the cliffs of Casterly Rock, in small row boats and found a crack in the wall of rock." Kenna answered the question before it had left Kevan's lips. "I knew there was a small crack to swim through because a plan four hundred years old told me there was. My men swam through it and climbed the caverns inside Casterly Rock until they reached the cellars. Then they posed as Lannister servants making sure that they would all serve the guards at the Lion's Mouth."

The sad defeated face Kevan had been holding turned to a smile as he lunged at Kenna and shouted, "NOW."

Kenna jumped out of the way of Kevan's lunge but realised too late that she had evaded one lion's claws just to be snared by another's. Ser Daven's arms enclosed themselves around Kenna's midriff and chains wrapped around Kenna's throat.

Jasper leapt into action to rescue Lady Kenna but as he raised his sword he realised he couldn't get to Daven without hitting Kenna first. Instead of advancing further towards Daven he grabbed Kevan's neck and brought his sword to Kevan's throat.

"Release my Lady Ser," Jasper demanded.

"Release my Lord or I will crush her windpipe," Ser Daven replied.

No one moved.

Kenna's hands wrestled with the chains encasing her throat and spoke up. "Release Ser Kevan Jasper," she commanded.

Jasper started to protest, "My Lady he will kill you."

"He will kill me regardless of whether you run Ser Kevan through with your sword or not. Now release him."

Jasper looked at Daven and saw the truth that the threat of killing Ser Kevan wouldn't stop him breaking Kenna's neck. Jasper obeyed the command, practically throwing Kevan into the wall.

"Good, now unchain him," Daven ordered.

"Don't do that Jasper," Kenna said curtly. The pressure increased around her throat.

"If he doesn't do what I say I will kill you," Daven spat into Kenna's ear.

"I don't doubt you would kill me Ser but I have too much to do in this life to die today. No man, no house, not even the Gods will stop me from fulfilling my vengeance." Kenna addressed Jasper, "Find Lord Royce tell him to burn Lannisport to the ground leave no one alive, women or child."

Jasper took a moment to process the command and moved slowly to the door clearly not wanting to leave Kenna or carry out the order that would condemn thousands of innocents to death.

"You are bluffing," Daven said while tightening the chains around Kenna's neck but his eyes widened when Jasper continued his walk to the door without turning back. "NO, stop. STOP," implored Ser Daven.

"Release me or Lannisport burns," Kenna said in a harsh voice as the chains bit into her skin.

Daven slowly removed the chains around Kenna's neck and backed towards the wall with a defeated look on his face.

Kenna rubbed her neck and walked towards Jasper. They exited the cell leaving the Lannister men to wallow in their second defeat in as many weeks.

"My Lady, I am so sorry for letting him put his hands on you, I-"

"You are forgiven Jasper but it was my own arrogance that led me to give them an opportunity to strike not a failure on your part," Kenna assured.

The encounter wasn't a waste though she had learnt a valuable lesson.

_Never turn your back on a lion because it could be the last thing you ever do._


	10. The Lion's Den

* * *

_Over the next few months …._

**Casterly Rock, Captured Seat of House Lannister in the Westerlands**

* * *

The rest of Kenna's time at the Rock wasn't as eventful. The charms of Casterly Rock were not lost on her though. The sun swept over the rocky features of the castle and the warm wind was a pleasant change from the cold wind that whipped around the Eyrie. Kenna had taken the grand guest chambers, instead of the master bedroom of the Lord and Lady of the Rock. It seemed too disrespectful to Kenna to take Lord Tywin's chambers while he still breathed. Kenna was not above ransacking his rooms though. She took a few days going through Tywin's belongings. Kenna found so many golden encrusted items adorned with varying sizes of lions that she had come to the decision to melt down every single gold lion she saw. She dismantled Tywin's desk and besides finding enough pieces of parchment she could have lit a fire that would have lasted for days she also found a golden lion pendent hidden in a secret compartment of the desk. It shined in the light but was clearly very old. Kenna put it around her neck and hide it under the outer layer of her tunic and made a mental note to ask the Lord Lannister why he was hiding jewellery in his personal study desk the next time she saw him. The grand library of Casterly Rock held books that would occupy the most studious scholar for years. The strategy books in particular held Kenna's attention for a few days as she waited for word from the King in the North. _How long does it take to secure the Riverlands or launch a siege on King's Landing?_

She visited the Golden Gallery that contained the treasures of the Lannisters. She walked through the gallery eyeing the bejewelled pieces of amour, the sparkling weapons and the pools of gems on display. Grand paintings lined the walls depicting the significant events in the Lannisters history, none more prominent and replicated than the downfall of the Tarbeck and Reyne houses. Kenna was sure her sister would appreciate the art far more than she currently did. All these paintings represented death, glory, and legacy. Kenna wasn't interested in any of those notions. All she wanted was justice for her father, a fair King that didn't chop off the heads of her loved ones, and prosperity for her people. All three were noble ideals. This war was fast teaching Kenna that most noble ideals were always achieved by either brute force or despicable cunning. She wondered which method would yield the results she wanted.

Kenna went to the Hall of Heroes where the Lannisters buried their dead. She came to the conclusion it was very similar to the Crypts in Winterfell just built in a way that the sun could shine upon their heroes. She amused herself by debating if she should request three new burial plots be set up. One for Jamie Lannister, the Golden Lion; one for Cersei, the Lion Queen; and one for Tywin Lannister, the Old Lion. The Gods had decided Tyrion was innocent and Kenna had no intention of going against the Gods' will. Tyrion could rule the West once she was finished with it.

Kenna stepped into the sept at Casterly Rock. It was impressive, much larger than the one at the Eyrie and precious metals covered most surfaces giving the impression that many Lannisters had previously tried to buy their way into the good graces of the Gods. Kenna went to the altar and lit a candle for all those she had lost. _Mother, Father, Ned, Robert._ She almost added Alyssa's name to that list but decided there was still hope for Alyssa to re-join the word of the living. She walked to the centre of the sept and looked at each of the seven walls surrounding her. Each wall represented one of the seven Gods. Kenna assessed which one she needed to pray to. She started to walk towards the "The Father" who represented divine justice, and judges the souls of the dead but backtracked to stand before "The Crone" who represented wisdom and foresight.

_I know I don't pray to you that much, but I need guidance. Is my path changing me? Am I becoming like my enemies in my bid to defeat them? I nearly condemned thousands of innocents to burn for crimes their liege lord committed._

Kenna closed her eyes and bowed her head before the Crone continuing her line of thoughts.

_Cersei, Joffrey, Tywin. If I don't stop them and make them pay for their actions who will?_

A deep voice travelled across the sept_,_ "Is my guidance not enough for you, my Lady?_"_

Kenna opened her eyes and spun around to see that Lord Royce had just entered the sept.

_He is keeping his eye on me. _Kenna smiled at Lord Royce, "Your guidance is just fine; I am more worried about my own judgement."

"What troubles you Kenna?" Royce said as he approached Kenna.

"Jasper told you what happened in the cells with Ser Kevan and Daven?" Kenna questioned.

Royce nodded and sat down on the bench facing the Crone. Kenna joined him.

She looked around the sept as if she was worried they were not alone. "Threatening to burn down a town of innocents isn't the actions of a _brilliant_ leader Yohn. They are the actions of a monster like the Mountain." Kenna felt a shiver pass down her spine when she mentioned the Mountain.

Lord Royce touched and turned Kenna's face gently so that they were facing each other. "You are not the Mountain Kenna, you were about to be killed by a man that had previously shown his compassion for his people and you took advantage of that. It doesn't make you a monster it makes you smart."

Kenna looked down to her lap, "A smart person wouldn't have been captured by their own prisoners."

Royce let out a chuckle. "Every smart person is allowed a mistake or two. Just don't make too many or you'll become a stupid person. And although smart people can become stupid a stupid person cannot become smart."

Kenna stayed quiet, absorbing Royce's words as she stared at the Crone statue. Royce was the first to speak again after a period of peaceful silence. He clasped his hands together.

"I have noticed you are focused on your revenge and what you will do to those that are responsible for your father's death. Anger can motivate us but learn this from me. Holding anger in for a long time is a poison. It eats you from inside. We think that hating is a weapon that attacks the person who harmed us. But hatred is a curved blade. And the harm we do, we do to ourselves. Once you have Cersei's cold corpse before you promise me you will let go of your anger before it eats away at you and there is nothing left. If there is one thing that destroys a leader it is misplaced anger and paranoia."

After parting with his wisdom Lord Royce got up and exited the sept leaving Kenna with the Gods and her thoughts.

Kenna looked to the Crone. _Looks like I don't need you anymore._

* * *

The next day Kenna was exploring one of the many mining shafts in the depths of the Rock with Jasper discussing Tywin Lannister's recent troop movements.

"Why would Tywin Lannister leave Harrenhall?" Jasper questioned as the light from his torch illuminated his youthful features, especially his dirty blond hair.

Kenna looked to Jasper, sometimes she forgot he was a second son of a minor noble house and probably wasn't ever expected to lead in times of war just fight for those who were. Kenna's paused and turned to face Jasper. "The only reason would be to attack Robb Stark or defend King's Landing and since we have received no word from the Stark camp that they need our assistance I think it is safe to assume he is riding to King's Landing to defend it from one of the two Baratheons."

Kenna walked further into the unending tunnel, her torch revealing her path forward. She enjoyed exploring Casterly Rock but she was getting restless. She didn't belong here, her home was the Eyrie and her purpose was in King's Landing. With Tywin's host on the move the time to strike was now. _I have done enough waiting on the Wolf King._ Kenna stopped her descent further into the mines when she realised Jasper wasn't following her. He stood there with a worried expression occupying his face.

"Jasper are you afraid of the dark?" Kenna teased.

"Would you have really seen Lannisport burn, women and children," Jasper asked. His face showed his concern at that possible outcome.

"I gave the order didn't I?" Kenna responded while hardening her face to mask her true thoughts on the matter. Her mind wandered back to her time spent in the sept with Lord Royce.

"My Lady would you inflict pain on thousands of hearts just to heal your own?" Jasper asked in a distraught voice as he searched Kenna's face for any signs of a guilty conscience.

"Is this about your brother? I ordered him to be my champion and he ended up dashed at the feet of the Eyrie," Kenna said in a cutting tone trying to avoid where this conversation was going.

"No my Lady, it is about you. I won't serve a person who is so blinded by their own pain they lash out at innocent people. People who are not responsible for the suffering you are going through," Jasper practically shouted.

His words echoed of the dark walls of Casterly Rock. The light from the torches highlighted the fire in Jasper's eyes. Kenna was captivated by that fire and her mask shattered.

"By all means my Lady vanish your enemies, avenge your father, protect your people but don't kill innocents and trick yourself into thinking you are doing it for revenge on the Lannisters. Those people mean nothing to the Lannisters," Jasper said with conviction trying to make Kenna understand that the smallfolk live in a different world to the high nobility of the Seven Kingdoms.

Jasper stared at Kenna waiting for her response. As each second came and went in silence Jasper increasingly worried that he was about to be sent to the executioner's block then Lady Kenna backed into the wall and slid down it till she was sat on the dirty floor with the torch in her hands between her legs. Silent tears started to fall down her face.

Out of all the reactions, Jasper wasn't expecting the fiery Kenna to crumple to the floor. The anger and confidence that normally accompanied Kenna faded away to reveal another state of mind.

_This is what it feels like when anger no longer masks fear, _Kenna noted to herself_._

Jasper immediately sat beside Kenna his own anger forgotten. He let her rest her head on his shoulder reminding him of how they met all those months ago. He realised that the same terror that was on her face when running from the Mountain graced her face now.

"You are afraid," Jasper whispered into the darkness.

"Yes," Kenna admitted. "I am afraid that I am not strong enough to defeat the Lannisters. That the wrong sister went to Winterfell. If I don't win this war Tywin fucking Lannister will eradicate my house so that only a bloody song is left. He promised to make me regret my involvement in this war."

Jasper could feel Kenna start to shiver. He didn't know if it was the cold or her fear.

"I am scared that to win this war I have to leave Kenna Arryn behind and become the _Bloody Falcon_. I am scared that to achieve anything in this world you have to be a monster."

Jasper listened, lending Kenna the support she needed in that moment.

"You are Lady Kenna of the Eyrie. You are as high as honour and the pride of the Vale. You have gone to war for justice and for honour. I believe you are more than a match for the Lannisters. You took Casterly Rock from Tywin Lannister. He should be afraid of you." Although Jasper couldn't see Kenna's face she had stopped trembling and that was enough to tell Jasper he had said the right words.

Kenna wiped away her tears but didn't move her head. "Thank you Jasper and thank you for saving me from the Mountain, I don't think I ever said that to you."

"You didn't need to, any man would have been happy to drag you onto his horse and ride in the opposite direction of the Mountain," he said in a jovial tone

The comment brought a light smile to Kenna's face. They remained in their positions until a messenger called out from above, "My Lady there is news from the Starks." Kenna hurried up from her sitting position and walked briskly back to her temporary chambers to receive the letter from Lord Royce and Jasper sheepishly followed her, matching every two strides of Kenna's with one of his until they emerged from the darkness in the mines.

* * *

The news was not good. Renly Baratheon had died and all reports seemed to implicate Catelyn in some way. _I wonder if Catelyn supposedly killed Renly before or after she gave Loras my marriage proposal,_ thought Kenna shaking her head. _She wouldn't be getting married to him anytime soon. _This turn of events left only the one Baratheon brother vying for the Iron Throne. That meant that Stannis was the one laying siege to King's Landing. No doubt when Stannis Baratheon got his bloody Throne he would turn his attention to the Lords that refused to join his side and this War would be never ending.

Kenna kept reading and with every word her frown deepened. The Greyjoy boy had betrayed Robb and had led a raiding party of hardened Iron born to capture Winterfell in the name of King Balon Greyjoy of the Iron Islands. Kenna clenched her jaw, _Greyjoys can never be trusted_. But that wasn't everything. Catelyn Stark once reunited with the Stark camp had inexplicably released Jamie Lannister in a foolish bid to get her daughters returned to her. This in turn, if Kenna had understood the letter correctly, had incited Rickard Karstark to murder two young Lannister boys for the loss of his own two sons. Robb had executed Lord Karstark for his disobedience resulting in the loss of the three-thousand strong Karstark retainer to his overall army. Again this wasn't everything. Robb Stark, King in the North had married a foreign girl from Volantis breaking his word to Walder Frey to marry one of his daughters. _A King who doesn't keep his word and his honour can't expect his men to do so either,_ Kenna scolded Robb in her mind.

This all equated to the Stark host losing a significant amount of support. Kenna slumped in her chair, aware that the recent events in the War of the Five King's did not favour the Stark, Arryn and Tully alliance. These turn of events left Robb in a weak position, needing her support more than ever. _All he had to do was maintain his forces in the Riverlands, instead it all goes to shit,_ Kenna slammed her hands against the table she had been sitting at then rested them together under her nose as she thought through her options.

"We need to tell the other Vale Lords of the news my Lady," Lord Royce said while walking to the door. Lady Kenna pushed herself out of her chair and followed Lord Royce in agreement. The Vale Lords were gathered in the Lannister's magnificent and imposing council chamber. Lady Kenna entered the chamber and took her seat at the head of the long rectangle table that was still draped in Lannister red and gold. The other Lords did likewise.

Lord Royce broke the bad news of Renly's death and the troubles Robb Starks had gotten himself into. The Vale Lords were agitated at this news and started to blaspheme the Stark boy.

"He is no King in the North, he can't even maintain his army and he follows his heart not his duty," Lord Royce words cut through the babble of the other Vale Lords. "A leader should always place their people before themselves, defend their honour in the face of tremendous odds, they should lead by example. We shouldn't bow to a Northern boy who has shown his disrespect for his duty, or to Stannis Baratheon who would rather have our heads on a pike than our surrender. That is why I declare Kenna Arryn the Queen over the Mountains."

All eyes in the room went to her. Kenna Arryn sat still in her chair surrounded by the chanting of the Vale Lords and the expectant eyes of the lion emblems in the room.

"Queen over the Mountains, Queen over the Mountains," they cheered as they slammed their hands on the lion covered table.

She knew that this public outcry in support of her being the Queen over the Mountains and the Vale being an independent Kingdom couldn't be refused. It was not something that could be refused. That is what Lord Royce counted on to get her to agree Kenna surmised. Kenna stood from her chair slowly, gesturing for the Lords to be quiet. "I am honoured my Lords for your support and I accept."

The Lords gave a massive yell of celebration as they toasted to their new Queen.

So Lady Kenna Arryn was declared the Queen over the Mountains in the Lion's Den.

* * *

Kenna saw Lord Royce exit the council chamber and immediately followed him, excusing herself to her new subjects.

Once she had caught up to the large man she grabbed his beefy arm and tugged him to face her.

"How dare you force me into this," Kenna hissed at Lord Royce.

"You weren't going to demand it so I had to force the issue."

"I don't want to be a Queen; my brother is first in line not me," Kenna stated.

"Forgive me _your Grace_, but good leaders rarely get what they want. Your brother is a sickly snivelling boy who is led around by your crazed good mother. He will not grow into a good leader let alone a _brilliant _leader. Which is what I believe you are."

Kenna took a step back she was stunned at Royce's words and conflicted. She knew that Robin lacked any leadership qualities and Lysa lacked any sense in her head. Would it be better for the people of the Vale to stick to tradition and suffer Robin's rule or for her to rip up tradition and rule her people in these difficult times.

Lord Royce saw the internal conflict going on in Kenna's head. And softened his stance towards her. "Kenna, you are not a naive girl, you know the next months in this war are crucial for the direction of the Seven Kingdoms let alone the direction of the Vale. For the good of the people of the Seven Kingdoms and the Vale please accept the responsibility of ruling the Vale as its Queen. You know Robin and Lysa would ruin the Vale. You are the leader I choose. That the Lords of the Vale choose. Given the choice I believe the people of the Vale would choose you too."

Despite the shock of her newly elevated position. The path forward was clear. "We need to march for Riverrun, regroup with the Stark forces and march on King's Landing before Robb Stark makes anymore disastrous mistakes that cost us this war. We have the men to defeat whatever army is left standing in King's Landing. Once I have Cersei's head we will return to the Eyrie so I can place it with Euron's and be done with this war."


	11. The Return to Riverrun

* * *

_Few weeks later …._

**Study of the Hand to the King, Tower of the Hand, King's Landing**

* * *

Tyrion stared at the golden hand pin stuck to the lapel of his father's jacket as he watched his father wet a quill and start writing a letter. _It looked better on me,_ thought Tyrion.

"What do you want Tyrion?" Tywin impatiently asked as he moved to pour himself a cup of wine. "I have seven Kingdoms to look after and four are in open rebellion so tell me what you want?"

"I want what is mine by right," Tyrion answered in a measured tone.

Tywin resettled in his seat as if he was uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation. "You want Casterly Rock do you, well go take it back from Lady Kenna Arryn then," Tywin said dismissively.

"I think you will find it is Queen Kenna now and I expected more of a reaction from you for the loss of Casterly Rock, the Lannister seat of power in the Westerlands. It is not like you are known for your forgiving side Father. You went to war for me, what are you going to do for the loss of Casterly Rock your childhood home? Not like you can start another war, we are already warring with the Arryns and we may soon run out of opponents to wage war on anyway," Tyrion delivered the words with a tremendous grin on his face. He liked seeing someone other than himself giving his father problems.

Tywin gripped the quill in his hand so hard it snapped in two. "When I reclaim the Rock I'll make sure the Arryn girl understands the magnitude of her mistake in choosing the wrong side. And when I do retake the Rock, it won't go to you. I would let myself be consumed by maggots before you make Casterly Rock into your whore house," Tywin yelled from his chair.

Tywin regain his composure in the silence that followed, only his youngest son possessed the ability to rile him like this. Tywin gripped the arms of his chair before addressing a clearly emotional Tyrion, "Leave me now and never bring up your claim to Casterly Rock again."

Tywin watched his son push himself out of his chair and waddle to the exit. He finished his goblet of wine and started to massage his temples.

The Queen over the Mountains was proving to be a bigger problem than first anticipated. She was giving him a headache. Strategically the loss of the Rock wasn't as damaging as the reputational and personal loss. Kenna Arryn would eventually have to leave the Rock if she wanted to take King's Landing and so far, she hadn't set fire to the Westerlands like she promised in her letter, just taken all the resources needed to resupply an army. Never threaten to do something and not carry the act out. That showed weakness. Weakness was not something Tywin tolerated in an ally but in an enemy it was to be exploited.

Tywin stood from his desk and located the wine jug. He poured himself another glass and took a sip. He looked at the offending letter on his desk. The letter was written in Kevan's hand but the words were Kenna Arryn's. Tywin felt minor concern at the thought of his brother being a prisoner inside their childhood home but felt confident that Kenna valued Kevan highly enough in negotiation terms that she wouldn't hurt him. Tywin had left the letter unanswered but it stayed on his desk as a reminder that Casterly Rock had been taken from him and he had promised to make Kenna Arryn regret the day she got involved in this war. And Tywin Lannister always kept his promises.

"Guards," Tywin yelled. A Lannister soldier appeared in the doorway. "Fetch me Petyr Baelish. Tell him I have need of him."

* * *

**The Great Hall, Riverrun, Western Riverlands**

_A few days later …_

* * *

The wind whipped into Kenna's face as she watched Edmure Tully try and fail to set his father alight as his coffin swayed with the Trident's currents, nearly out of sight. Finally, the Blackfish put Edmure out of his misery, shoving him out of the way to set Hoster Tully on fire himself. The funeral party retreated to the picturesque castle of Riverrun to pronounce Edmure the new Lord of Riverrun.

It was good to be among the Starks and Tully's again. One does not simply plan the takeover of King's Landing alone least one wants to end up like Stannis Baratheon, broken and stranded on Dragon's Stone. Kenna had no intention of replicating Stannis's failure.

"Your Graces, shall we get started," Ser Brynden Tully, the Blackfish said in a humorous tone.

As the gathered party started to seat themselves around the heavy set wooden table Robb spoke to Kenna, "I see you have followed me in declaring your independence, your Grace or do you prefer Queen over the Mountains?"

Kenna looked around the table to gauge the reaction of those seated. Edmure Tully looked positively pleased but it was hard to tell if that emotion sprung from that fact he was the new Lord of Riverrun or he was genuinely pleased to see Kenna again. Catelyn had a serious expression on her face indicating she just wanted to get on with planning the siege of King's Landing. _I feel the same way Lady Catelyn,_ Kenna thought. The Blackfish had a ghost of a smile playing on his lips as he watched the exchange between the King and Queen. Lord Yohn Royce foot tapping showed his impatience to start discussing the plan to take King's Landing. Robb Stark had an unreadable expression on his face as he lowered himself into his chair.

"Well your Grace, the Vale shares the North's ideals of wanting to be ruled by a just and fair leader not by whoever sits on the Iron Throne of corruption in King's Landing and my official title is Queen of the Mountain and the Vale but that doesn't seem to be as easy to shout as Queen over the Mountains," Kenna responded sweetly directing her full attention at Robb.

Catelyn spoke next, not allowing Robb the time to reply. "The battle of Blackwater Bay has shifted the balance of this war back into the Lannisters favour. They have the Tyrells with them and didn't suffer too many casualties defending King's Landing. Meanwhile Lord Walder Frey is demanding a replacement for Robb and an apology. He won't give us his men if we don't concede to his terms and we need those extra ten thousand men to stand a chance at capturing King's Landing without any ships."

The Greyjoy betrayal went unspoken but hung in the air.

Edmure tried to speak but the Blackfish cut him off wanting to get down to strategy.

"Right the River Lords can provide five thousand men after the battering the Mountain is giving us, King Robb provides fifteen thousand keen Northmen not including the Karstark bastards that ran back North, Queen Kenna provides twenty-five thousand including a solid cavalry unit." As he spoke the Blackfish was counting the numbers on his hand. "Those Tyrell fucks had roughly forty thousand which joined with Tywin Lannister's remaining twenty thousand and defended King's Landing. They might have lost fifteen thousand men repelling Stannis." The Blackfish threw his hands into the air, "oh wait I am forgetting about the Crownland army, add five thousand to that and we have their army standing at fifty thousand men behind the fucking massive walls of King's Landing, hurling arrows at our oncoming forty thousand men. The numbers alone are not promising and the attacker always needs the greater numbers in a siege." The Blackfish kicked the closed table leg to him after his outburst.

Catelyn quickly spoke up, "That is why we need the Freys, we need to organise these weddings as soon as possible and march on King's Landing with the extra ten thousand men in our armies."

Kenna's ears pricked up. "I am sorry my Lady I thought I heard you say weddings, plural. I thought Edmure was the only one marrying into the Freys. Is your Uncle finally getting married too?"

Judging by the grim look on Brynden Tully's face at Kenna's comment it looked like he would rather die and Edmure apparently hadn't been told at all about his upcoming nuptials if the surprise on his face was to be believed.

Catelyn fixed Kenna with nervous eyes and replied. "No, your Grace Lord Walder Frey requested a royal wedding to replace the royal wedding he was cheated out of."

Kenna took in a deep breath. T_hey mean me. They mean for me to marry a Frey. I'd rather die._

"You can't be serous my Lady," Lord Royce exploded.

"I am deadly serious my Lord," Catelyn shot back. "We need Lord Walder's men; he wants one of his sons married into the now royal Arryn bloodline to replace one of his daughters getting married into the royal Stark bloodline."

_If looks could kill Robb Stark would be dead on the floor and Kenna Arryn would be his killer._

Edmure finally found his voice. "Why do I have to get married then," he whined.

"He wants a royal marriage and an apology. Your marriage is the apology," Catelyn said in a tired tone.

Both Kenna and Edmure leaned back in their chairs in despair. Both knew in that moment that the marriages had to go ahead if they were to stand a chance at capturing King's Landing. They needed those men. Kenna always knew she would have to get married eventually. She just didn't anticipate it being to a Frey.

"So the Arryns and the Tullys have to pay for the mistakes of the Starks," Kenna growled while throwing Robb Stark a pointed look, not even concealing her anger at him. She continued with a thunderous look on her face. "Alliances are supposed to benefit both parties. So far this alliance feels a bit one-sided. I do hope that this will change in the future and the King in the North starts to act like an actual King."

Catelyn rose in her chair with a flustered look on her face and started to speak but Kenna cut her off. "I am not interested in your defence of your son's actions or your own for that matter. I am interested in winning this war. That is why I agree to marry one of Lord Walder Frey's brood," Kenna said, her eyes not wavering from Robb Starks throughout the speech. _I hope these words hurt him like arrows piercing his skin, _Kenna thought.

Edmure simply nodded his agreement like he didn't trust his voice to carry the decision. Robb sat silent, not able to muster a defence of his actions and not wanting to say something that might change Kenna's decision. The Blackfish quickly adjourned the meeting, sensing the tension between the Queen over the Mountains and the King in the North, and left the room. The Starks swiftly followed him leaving Edmure alone with the two Vale nobles. Kenna and Lord Royce watched the Starks leave and once they were out of view they themselves left for their chambers without so much as a glance at the still stationary Edmure Tully who sat at the table in a daze.

* * *

"Your Grace, you can't do this. You can't marry a Frey." Lord Royce had repeated this exact statement half a dozen times as Kenna made her way to her chambers in the Riverrun castle from the meeting.

Jasper held her door open for her but she turned around before entering her chambers. "I have no desire to marry at all let alone to a bloody weasel Frey," Kenna expounded. "But someone I hold very dear to me once said I could be a brilliant leader that puts her people above her own desires, that is what I am doing now my Lord."

Lord Royce conceded the point but it was a bitter course of action to accept. The Queen over the Mountain and the Vale married to a lowly Frey who was probably not even the next in line to inherit the Twins from Walder Frey.

Before Lord Royce could stage a further protest Kenna issued him with orders.

"My Lord, assemble the Knights of the Vale and march to the Eyrie. Once there, muster as many new recruits as you can and prepare our army for the siege of King's Landing. I will take a few dozen Arryn guards led by Jasper Egen with me to the Twins for my wedding. Once that is over I will join you at the Eyrie with the Starks, Tullys and Freys."

Kenna saw that Royce was reluctant to follow her commands. "I need you to prepare the Arryn army to take King's Landing. I do not need you wasting your time at my wedding Yohn. There is no one I trust more than you to make the preparations. You are the leader of the Arryn army as you are so fond of telling me. Now lead it while I secure the men we need."

Royce put a hand on Kenna's shoulder and squeezed. "I am sorry it has come to this." He bowed and took his leave.

Kenna watched Lord Royce walk away from her in the direction of his own chambers. She turned back with the intention to flop onto her bed and sleep away her problems but when she turned she was met with the fiery eyes of Jasper Egen.

"You are to marry?" he asked quietly.

"Yes to a Frey of all people," Kenna said while passing Jasper to enter into her chambers and ready herself for bed.

Jasper followed her in waving his arms in frantic movements. "You can't marry a Frey, they are horrible people and below you."

"It can't be helped, we need their men," Kenna grumbled.

"Is that supposed to convince you or me?" Jasper pried.

Kenna stopped advancing into her bedroom as if the question had stunned her. "Neither what is done is done."

"You haven't married yet, call it off," Jasper said while grabbing Kenna's arm in desperation.

Kenna paused realising she was having this conversation in her bedroom and Jasper had just roughly grabbed her arm.

He quickly released it and apologised.

Kenna squared up to Jasper. "What is it to you Jasper, I am doing this to protect my house's future, to protect my peoples' future. I thought you would support that."

Jasper looked down towards his feet, "I …. I do. I just-"

His stuttering was silenced by Kenna placing her lips on Jaspers. His hands after a moment of hesitation moved to her waist as he parted his lips to let their tongues battle it out. He started to back Kenna towards the bed and Kenna complied with the movement. Kenna's legs hit the back of the bed and they fell down onto the bed together. Jasper still continued his assault on her lips as his hands started to roam around Kenna's body. She deepened the kiss and hooked her hands around Jasper's neck.

After a few seconds on the bed his senses return to him and he gently disengaged and took a step back leaving Kenna on the bed. His eyes were firmly inspecting the floor.

Kenna understood his decision. _Honour before desires._ He was a good man, a good subject. He was never destined to be a King. _But neither was her future Frey husband,_ Kenna thought bitterly. _Jasper would make a better husband, and a better King._ There was no doubt in Kenna's mind on that point.

Kenna decided to give him the choice. "The Frey would join me in the Eyrie to rule with me as King of the Mountain and the Vale. You would still be my bodyguard though. We would still … have a lot of time alone, together."

The implication of adultery was clear but Jasper refused to entertain the idea of dishonouring Kenna. The honourable thing would be to remove the temptation.

"I am sorry your Grace but once you are married I think it would be for the best if we parted ways," Jasper said in a heavy voice.

Kenna nodded and didn't fight his refusal because she had expected this response. Jasper Egen was an honourable man he would never accept being a concubine. With sad eyes she watched as Jasper disappeared through her bedroom door.

She undressed and got under the covers of her bed enjoying the feeling of having the entire bed to herself. She didn't know how many more nights like this she might enjoy.


	12. The Red Weddings

* * *

_A few weeks later …._

**Main Hall, Eastern Castle, the Twins, Northern Riverlands**

* * *

Kenna sat at the high table clapping as Lord Edmure pledged himself to Roslin Frey. He looked quite smitten with her. _Good for him,_ thought Kenna testily as she stabbed at her now cold food. Kenna was under no illusion that she would be smitten with her soon to be husband. Edwyn Frey, great grandson of Lord Walder Frey was a dull man if the past hours of his company were to be an indication of his future company. There was only so many times the tax system of bridge tolls could be a fruitful conversation. Kenna had filled his wine goblet up a few times hoping he might reach the point where he would become so drunk he might shut up or fall down some stairs and die. Either scenario Kenna would be happy with.

"My Queen, won't you join me in having some wine," Edwyn slurred.

"As I said before, I don't partake in drinking wine or ale," Kenna replied with all the civility she could.

Edwyn Frey had all the markings of a Frey, a pale complexion, a hooked nose, leering eyes, a thin frame, and no regard for personal space. The only redeeming characteristic was that he was the same age as Kenna. But at this point Kenna would have preferred an old man that might have died within a few years.

Kenna filled Edwyn's goblet up again as he tried to engage in another money related discussion. Luckily Ser Bryden Tully the Blackfish intervened by offering his hand for a dance. Kenna quickly accepted and the Blackfish whisked her away to the dance floor where many Northerners and Tully men were enjoying themselves. The Freys seemed to be avoiding the dance floor in the middle of the hall. _They probably don't know how to dance or enjoy themselves, _thought Kenna. Kenna's thirty odd Arryn guards were spread throughout the hall watching her movements like hawks on the hunt. None so more than Jasper who wore a dispassionate look on his face as he observed all the festivities.

"Not getting any last minute thoughts of doing a runner are you?" Bryden asked with a hint of a chuckle on his lips. "I am sure your flock of guards would be willing to carry you away in a heartbeat."

Kenna rolled her eyes at him as they followed the steps of the dance. "I had thought about murdering my way out of this marriage but Walder Frey seems to have a legion of sons that would serve as replacements," Kenna said when in a close embrace.

"I would advise again killing your Frey husband until we have defeated the Lannisters and Tyrells. Once that is done I'll pass you the dagger myself. But until then try to put a smile on your face. It currently looks like a slapped cow's arse, no offense your Grace" he said into Kenna's ear.

Kenna was about to refute that claim vigorously when the Blackfish twirled her and she got a glimpse of the hall. The Freys seemed to be everywhere, watching and waiting. Once the world had stopped spinning she was faced with Lord Umber who winked at her and offered his hand. Kenna released Bryden's hand, who gave her a little bow before he walked off to re-join the Tully men at the back of the hall.

The charms of the Northern Lords had started to wear off on her. She rather enjoyed their vulgar tongue and unabashed manners instead of the fake politeness of King's Landing and the snobbery indignation at the Eyrie.

Kenna let Lord Umber swing her around the dancefloor. By no means was Lord Umber a graceful dancer but every movement was filled with joy and drunk enthusiasm. Kenna genuinely smiled for the first time on her wedding day as she was flung around the dance floor passed from one Northern Lord to another until her hands were held by the King in the North.

"Your Grace, you look beautiful. I hope you are enjoying your wedding," Robb's rich baritone voice filled Kenna's ear.

"I fear I won't enjoy it as much as you enjoyed yours, your Grace," Kenna replied with a hint of jealousy.

Robb's hands tensed around Kenna's and he said in a low voice, "I love her and she loves me. She is with child and I won't apologise for the outcome of my actions."

Robb and Kenna gracefully performed the steps of the joyous dance as if they weren't having an intense conversation each time their head came close together. The Frey's watched each movement with eagle eyes.

"Yes and I am paying for that love," Kenna said while holding Robb's gaze. His eyes expressed sorrow for the position Kenna was in but not regret at his actions.

_Would it be unqueenly for me to kick the King in the North in his southern region? _Kenna questioned herself.

The music quietened at that moment and Lord Walder Frey's breathy voice filled the void. "We have had one wedding, and probably one bedding by now heh, it is time to have the another."

Lord Royce would have been the obvious choice to give Kenna away but he wasn't at the Twins. The man that would give Kenna away was the very same man that had forced this marriage on her. Robb Stark took Kenna's arm and guided her to the waiting Edywn Frey in the middle of the hall. Each step filled Kenna with more dread at what was about to become her new reality. _I could still turn and run. I could just leave. No. A leader does what she must, not what she wants. _Robb passed her to the waiting Edwyn Frey.

A high septon started the marriage vows once Kenna was beside her husband-to-be which Kenna and Edwyn dutifully repeated word for word.

_High as Honour,_ Kenna kept thinking to herself throughout the ceremony in case her previous thoughts of escaping this wedding became actions.

* * *

Robb took his seat of honour beside his mother and watched as Queen Kenna Arryn married Edwyn Frey. He thanked all the Gods there were that he had avoided this fate.

The Freys were miserable people and he was extremely happy with his own wife and soon to be born son, or daughter if Talisa was right. Once the ceremony was complete the River Lords and Northern Lords gave a drunken cheer of "Queen over the Mountains, Queen over the Mountains," as if the new King over the Mountains didn't exist. He might not have to Kenna, since she hadn't so much as given him a glance since the ceremony had started. The Arryn contingent clapped but their demeanour was better suited to a funeral than a wedding.

Robb exchanged a look with his mother as they watched the hoard of Frey men carried Kenna of out of the hall, tearing at her dress as they went. It looked like she had an annoyed expression on her face, or it could have been outright rage, but there was no stopping that many Frey men as they rushed her away. _Old Walder Frey must be very keen to get a royal grandchild or would it be great grandchild,_ mused Robb. It was hard to keep track of the Frey lineage due to there being so many of them. The Frey women feebly pushed Edwyn in the same direction that Kenna had been taken in. Both parties were followed by the unarmed Arryn guards despite some Frey men trying to block their path. They were easily shoved aside by the stone faced Arryn guards. The Frey men shot worried looks to Walder Frey but Robb and Catelyn were too busy enjoying the spectacle of the wedding celebrations to really notice the interaction.

With both weddings complete and oaths restored it was time to enjoy the rest of the night. Robb turned and smiled at his wife noticing how she rubbed her tummy. Things were swinging back in his favour; he just knew it.

* * *

Meanwhile Kenna had been deposited in a large bedchamber, her dress was ripped and torn but still intact. Bruises were starting to form all over her body where the Frey men had manhandled her. _Fucking brutes the lot of them,_ Kenna brooded. She made her way to the desk that was opposite the bed and leaned on it hoping that by some miracle her husband had gotten lost on his way to her.

The door to the bedchambers was quickly opened and Edwyn Frey was practically thrown into the room by his female family members. He managed to remain on his feet but was swaying as he stood in the middle of the bedchamber with his glazed eyes darting between Kenna and the bed.

Kenna wasn't a young girl she knew what happened next. She just couldn't believe it would happened with a Frey. _As High as Honour_, Kenna reminded herself as she watched her husband make his way on unsteady legs towards her. Once he had made his way over to Kenna he reached past her and grabbed a wine jug from the desk just behind her and poured himself another goblet of wine. He offered to pour Kenna one but she declined.

"You know this night will be easier if you have some wine," Edwyn said slowly raising the goblet to his mouth.

"Wine dulls the senses and clouds the mind. I always want to see with perfect clarity," Kenna reasoned.

Edwyn put his half empty goblet down on the desk and put a cold hand to Kenna's face. "I guarantee you dear wife that you won't want to remember tonight in clarity."

_Does he think that he is that bad in bed? _Kenna thought puzzled by his words. _Something doesn't feel right._

"What do you mean?" she asked. But after a few moments Edwyn other hand cupped the other side of her face and he pulled her into a rough kiss. His hands dropped from her face and started to drunkenly fiddle with the strings to her dress.

Kenna wouldn't let the comment go. She tried again between kisses. "What did you mean?"

Edwyn stopped fiddling with her dress and took another gulp of wine. "I didn't mean anything."

Kenna tried a different approach. She took the goblet from his hand and drank the remaining contents then let it fall to the ground with a clang. The motion and noise seemed to grab Edwyn's attention and he focused on her. Kenna's hands went to untie his breeches. A drunken moan escaped Edwyn lips as Kenna removed his breeches completely revealing his growing manhood. He trapped Kenna against the desk and caught her mouth again as his hands started to bunch her dress around her waist. Kenna's hands closed around Edwyn's member and started to slowly massage it as it grew in her hand.

"Tell me what you meant" she whispered in a low seductive tone, trailing kisses down his neck as Edwyn started to pant.

Edwyn let out a groan at the interruption but decided to appease his wife so that they could continue. "Tonight the King in the North gets what he deserves for breaking his oath to us. No more will the high Lords of Westeros laugh at us Freys. No more."

_Robb Stark is in danger. I have to get out of this room._

Edwyn Frey continued his assault on Kenna's mouth while readying himself to penetrate Kenna's maidenhood. He didn't get the chance as Kenna swung the wine jug down onto his head. He staggered backwards but didn't fall to the ground.

_Damn. He isn't as drunk as I thought_.

Edwyn charged back at Kenna, pushing her against the desk while holding her down by the throat so that her back painfully bended against the desk.

"You shouldn't have done that dear wife," he sneered above her.

Panic flooded into Kenna's brain. _Not like this._ Her hands searched the desk as Edwyn focused on consummating their marriage with one hand on her throat and his other holding Kenna's hips in place.

Finally, Kenna's hands found an item on the desk, a letter opener, and with all her remaining strength she thrust it into the distracted Edwyn's windpipe. He released her instantly staggering backwards and kneeling on the floor. He tried to speak but the words came out as gurgles and spurts of blood started to drop to the floor where he knelt.

Kenna walked towards the paling Frey, "I am not your wife and I never will be." She removed the thin letter opener in one swift movement and watched as Edwyn fell face first to the stone floor.

Kenna took a moment to readjusted her dress and compose her face. There were a few Frey guards behind that door and her Arryn guards but she suspected that the Freys were armed somehow and her guards were not. Kenna walked to the door with the thin knife behind her back. She opened the door and shouted, "Edwyn has collapsed he isn't moving, help."

Two Frey guards rushed past her to crouch over Edwyn's body as Jasper went to her with a worried expression on his face. Before they could deduce what had happened she enclosed Jasper's hand around the handle of the letter opener and whispered, "Kill them."

Jasper was confused but didn't hesitate as he loomed over the two Freys huddled around Edwyn's corpse and dragged the knife over the first one's throat and stabbed the other to death as he reached for his own dagger hidden in his clothes.

The now bloodied Jasper turned to Kenna. "What now?" he questioned.

The other Arryn guards were filtering into the room and saw the three slaughtered Freys on the floor.

"The Freys have betrayed us. Our allies are in danger we need to reach them and get out of the Twins. Grab the dead men's weapons, we need to get to the wedding hall now," Kenna ordered while rushing out of the bloodied bedchambers.

* * *

Kenna and her party of thirty men reached the Great Hall door just as it closed. The Frey men who had shut the door turned to face Kenna's men and quickly realised their true intentions were known. The few Frey men unsheathed their daggers and advanced on the mostly unarmed Arryn soldiers. Kenna stayed back from the fighting but still felt every blow that felled an Arryn soldier. Left standing after a chaotic minute were a dozen uninjured Arryn soldiers. Music started to come through the closed Hall door. Kenna recognised the song. _The Rains of Castamere._

"Get that door open now," yelled Kenna. The remaining Arryn guards compiled with her order and when the door opened it revealed a bloodbath.

Arrows were flying everywhere from every direction; Northmen were dying in their chairs either felled by the arrows or by Frey daggers. Kenna looked to the middle of the room, Robb Stark was standing aghast looking at his severely injured pregnant wife who was bleeding out on the floor. Catelyn was running towards Robb, urging him to move. As Catelyn reached her son, she was struck by multiple arrows as she fell into her son's arms she shouted for him to leave. Her words seemed to reach him as he started to carry his mother out of the room. Roose Bolton killed a few Freys that were converging on the King in the North and Lord Umber joined his liege lord and practical dragged the King in the North and his mother to the now open hall door. Kenna watched from the entrance as her men joined the fight and started dragging Northmen off the ground and killing as many Freys as they could before they were overrun.

Lord Bolton, Lord Umber, Robb and the injured Catelyn Stark reached Kenna at the entrance to the door. Jasper was right behind them and started to close the main hall door with Lord Umber. Lord Bolton spoke first, "We need to leave now my King. The Freys are slaughtering us," as he helped lower Catelyn against the wall into a sitting position.

"No we need to kill all these fucking weasels," Lord Umber bellowed once the hall door was fully closed.

Robb ignored both of his banner men as his mother coughed blood and said in a weak voice, "I love you Robb, please live, please just live." Her head rolled to one side and she closed her eyes.

"Mother?" Robb Stark shook his mother's shoulders.

"She is gone, we need to move now," Kenna said in a gentle tone kneeling beside Robb.

"We can't leave her here," Robb said in a distressed tone.

"She said for you to live, I suggest you concentrate on that notion. We need to move," Kenna replied.

"NO," Robb yelled. "I am going to kill ever last Frey in this castle even if I die doing it."

Lord Umber grinned before turning and dispatching an onrushing Frey in the hallway with only his hands as Jasper watched the other side of the hallway. Lord Bolton had a grim expression on his face as he spoke, "We need to regroup with the rest of our forces if we want to fight or flee." The Freys inside the hall had started banging on the door indicating they had finished with the Stark, Tully and Arryn men inside.

An enraged Robb agreed and their small party started to fight their way to the courtyard where the rest of the Northern forces would be. On the way to the courtyard Kenna and Jasper got cut off when a group of Frey soldiers burst through a door separating them from the Northmen.

"Keep going," yelled Kenna as she and Jasper backtracked their steps. Robb shot her a worried look but continued onwards.

* * *

Kenna and Jasper broke into a sprint to outrun the Frey soldiers behind them but bloodied Freys were now emerging from the wedding hall and blocking that hallway. Kenna looked at Catelyn's arrow ridden body as Jasper dragged her around a corner and up some stairs. They ran up the spiral stairs aware of the shouting from the Frey men below. They ascended until they came to a wooden door. Jasper hurriedly pushed it open and locked it when they were both on the other side. Kenna felt the nights' cold breeze hit her back. She turned. They had reached the bridge connecting the two Twin castles. Maybe if they could reach the other side they could escape.

This idea was dashed as soon as Kenna realised that there were Freys on the other side of the bridge advancing towards Jasper and Kenna. The door they had just slammed shut started to creak as Frey men pounded on it. Kenna and Jasper backed away from the door. The Freys on the other side of the bridge were getting closer.

Jasper held out the thin knife but knew it would be little use when surrounded by multiple better armed Frey's.

"My Queen, Kenna -," Jasper started.

"No don't do that, don't speak like this is the end."

"It is the end for me, but not for you," Jasper said while keeping an eye on the onrushing Freys.

"What do you mean?" Kenna asked.

Jasper guided her toward the edge of the bridge as the door burst open and Freys came spilling out. Freys were converging on their position from both directions of the bridge.

"I'm sorry for failing to protect you," Jasper said as he lifted Kenna onto the railing of the bridge and pushed her off the bridge.

Kenna couldn't hide the shock from her face as she fell through the cold air or prevent the scream of terror that followed her down. The last thing she saw before hitting the icy waters of the Green Fork was a sword protruding through Jaspers midriff as he watched her descent with sad eyes.

* * *

Robb Stark had regrouped with his men and was now leading an assault on the Twins. The Freys were not good fighters but most of the Northerners were drunk and wielding their weapons with recklessness.

The regrouped Stark host rallied around Robb Stark and smashed its way back through the corpse ridden hallways of the Twins and tore through the Frey resistance. Robb Stark found himself back in the Wedding hall but now his men were the ones that stood on the balcony and stood over dead Frey bodies. Grey Wind since he had been released from his cage hadn't left Robb's side and had ripped apart any Frey man foolish enough to approach Robb. Both Robb and Grey Wind stalked into the wedding hall and spotted their prey.

Lord Walder Frey still sat in his chair. His face no longer held that smirk it had an hour ago. Robb spotted Talisa's dead body. The blood had dried on her clothes, her hands still rested on her tummy protectively. Robb's anger was rising again. He walked towards Lord Walder Frey when he saw his Mother's body propped on a chair beside Walder Frey. It was missing its head.

"Where is my Mother's head?", Robb shouted at Lord Walder Frey.

Lord Walder Frey shifted uncomfortably under Robb's furious gaze. "In the Green Fork with the rest of the trout, making its way to back to Riverrun."

"You threw Lady Catelyn's head into the river" Lord Bolton said in disbelief.

Lord Umber started to charge at Walder Frey but Robb stopped him. "He is mine," he simply said.

Robb walked slowly towards Walder Frey with is sword trailing behind him on the stone floor. Each step Robb took seemed to increase the old man's terror. Walder Frey stood from his chair but as an old man there was no hope of outrunning the young wolf or his revenge.

Robb reached Walder Frey and held his sword in position to strike, "Any last words my Lord," Robb asked, his eyes shimmering with fury.

Lord Walder Frey seemed to accept his death was imminent and said, "The Lannisters' send their regards."

Robb lunged with his sword and it pierced Lord Walder Frey's torso. Robb pushed his sword further through Walder Freys midriff until the hilt was where his heart was supposed to be. Walder Frey screamed in agony but kept standing until Robb retracted his sword and slashed at the old man who flopped to the floor. His blood dripped down the steps leading to the high table. Robb looked between his mother's decapitated body and his wife's lifeless pregnant corpse and screamed in aguish at everything he had lost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> R.I.P
> 
> Edwyn Frey (letter opener/small knife to the throat)
> 
> Died trying to force himself on Kenna. He only lasted one chapter but he was a Frey and they all needed to die so I don't feel bad.
> 
> Catelyn Stark (Multiple arrows to the chest)
> 
> Died saving Robb at the Red Weddings, which I think fits with her character. All she ever wanted was to protect her children so I thought it was fit for her to die saving Robb.
> 
> Jasper Egen (Sword through the back, Mad King Style)
> 
> Died pushing Kenna off the Twin's bridge. He was fun to write but I always knew his character was going to kick the bucket but I hope you guys enjoyed his inclusion in the story and he fleshed out the Arryn side of the story a bit more.
> 
> Walder Frey (Sword through the front)
> 
> Died revealing the Lannisters' complicity in the planning of the Red Weddings to Robb. I felt no pity killing him off and really enjoyed writing the killing blow so to speak.


	13. The Aftermath

* * *

_Next morning …._

**Great Hall, Twins, North Riverlands**

* * *

The Stark host secured the Twins during the night and slaughtered any Freys that were still in the castles. During the morning Robb took stock of what he had lost.

His mother lay headless on the cold stone floor of the Twins, his wife and unborn child had died during the first moments of chaos in the wedding hall, his host had been depleted to under five thousand men and all he had to show for it was the Twins. The Blackfish had rescued Edmure during the night and informed him of what had happened as he had celebrated his marriage. Queen Kenna had still not been found dead or alive by the time the sun had risen in the morning.

Lord Bolton broke Robb's thoughts as he reported his findings. "I haven't managed to locate Queen Kenna but my men did find her bodyguard Jasper Egen's body by the bridge edge."

"You think that she might have jumped into the river below?" Robb questioned.

"I think it is possible," Lord Bolton replied slowly.

"Start searching the surrounding banks of the river then, she needs to be found."

"Right away your Grace, but it is highly unlikely that she survived the night in the current of the river or that she even managed to get out of the river. There may not be a body to be found," Lord Bolton said to manage Robb's expectations.

"I would rather give her the benefit of the doubt than not Lord Bolton. Send your men," Robb commanded.

Robb took one last look around the great hall that had been the stage for so much carnage and pain. Robb reflected on his actions that had brought him to this point.

_I caused this, all of this. It is all my fault. _He locked away the sob that threatened to spill out of him.

* * *

_Same morning …._

**Northern Bank of the Green Fork, North Riverlands**

* * *

Kenna woke up face first in sand as she tried to turn her body over to see the sun. Everything felt numb and cold. Her body shook trying to generate heat but the damp clothes that stuck to her sapped the remaining warmth from her. She wasn't sure how long she had laid on the river bank just that it was no longer night-time since the sun was shining down on her. She drifted in and out of consciences, her body battling the chill that had taken hold of it. She swore she could hear voices at certain points and shadows danced before her but she could never quite get the world to focus before it returned to blackness.

The next time she opened her eyes she was face to face with an old man who wore a maester's robe but no chain. He gave her a small smile as he carefully tilted her head so that she could drink out of the cup he was offering but her eyes refused to stay open.

When Kenna woke again the old man had his back to her and was preparing a draft of some sort. Kenna was resting on a bed covered in many layers but wasn't wearing her wedding dress anymore but a simple common tunic. Kenna tried to move and was rewarded with a stabbing pain in her head as her body refused to do what she wanted. The maester must have heard her attempt at movement and turned to look at her.

"I wouldn't try to move just yet, your Grace," he said in a kind voice. He picked up the draft he had been working on and knelt next to Kenna and tried to give her the draft.

She turned her head away and asked in a shaky voice, "Where am I, what happened at the Twins, who are you?"

"Well your Grace, my name is Qyburn. You were found by some villagers on the banks of the Green Fork and they recognised who you were and alerted me and my master." Qyburn pointed to the cup in his hand, "and this is milk of the poppy, it will help with the pain."

Kenna wasn't interested in pain relief, "What day is it? How long have I been here?" Kenna had so many questions but Qyburn once again pointed to the milk of the poppy in his hand. Kenna let him administer the milk of the poppy.

"Thank you, your Grace. It has been a week since Robb Stark slaughtered the Freys at the Twins. The smallfolk are saying he turned into a giant wolf had ripped old Walder Frey's throat out as Edmure Tully married Roslin Frey. You are very lucky to have escaped if that was the case," Qyburn said with a smile, knowing full well that the story was false.

"That is not what happened," Kenna managed to croak out.

"I am sure, but in any case, you are lucky to be alive. If you had not been found when you were and I had not been called for you would almost certainly be a cold corpse by now."

"And who is your master so I may thank him?" Kenna inquired as heavy steps could be heard in the background.

Qyburn eyed Kenna with some nervousness, "I believe you have met him before, your Grace."

The door to the room slammed open. Kenna's face betrayed her inner terror. Before her stood the Mountain. He had a piece of cloth that covered one of his eyes but there was no mistaking the sadistic smile that sat on his lips.

_No, no, this cannot be happening,_ thought Kenna as she struggled with the effects of the milk of the poppy.

The Mountain just stood in the doorway appraising Kenna. Qyburn filled the silence. "As soon as you are able to travel our orders are to take you straight to King's Landing where you will face the King's Justice for your actions. My job is to keep you alive so that you may face that justice," he said clearly not relishing the prospect of keeping someone alive just so they could be killed later.

The Mountain took a long step inside the room. "How long before she can travel," his gruff voice filled the room, his eye never leaving Kenna's prone form on the bed.

"A few more days at the most, her fever has broken and she is retaining conscience more and more," Qyburn replied quickly.

The Mountain's stare bore into Kenna's eyes but he eventually turned and exited the room at this news.

"Breathe," Qyburn softly said when the door slammed shut.

Kenna was suddenly aware that she hadn't taken a breath since the Mountain had entered the room. She focused on the air going in and out of her lungs but it did nothing to distract her from the feelings of tiredness and helplessness that started to grip hold of her. She drifted off as Qyburn checked her pulse and temperature.

* * *

Kenna walked around the small room she had spent the last few days in making sure that one hand was always on a steady surface to support her in case her strength failed. Her movements were slow and imprecise, a reminder that she was still recovering from her time battling the currents of the Green Fork.

Qyburn knocked on the door and entered accompanied by two Lannister men. "Your Grace, are you ready?" he asked.

Kenna nodded in response and Qyburn helped Kenna out of the house passing the dead bodies of the villagers that had found her. No doubt the Mountain had paid them for finding her with a taste of his sword.

The Mountain and about forty men were waiting outside surrounding a cart attached to a horse, which was obviously Kenna and Qyburn's mode of transportation. Kenna let herself be guided to the cart by Qyburn.

Was this how her story ended by being dragged to King's Landing and executed under Cersei's watchful eyes or was she to mysteriously go missing on route_. _At this moment in time Kenna was leaning towards the latter possibility as the Mountain eyed her every movement with keen interest.

Kenna settled onto the cart with Qyburn's help. In this moment she wished she had died on the banks of the Green Fork. Her future was only filled with pain and suffering if she were to reach King's Landing in this state.

"Your Grace, please get some rest, the trip to King's Landing is a long one and you are still weak," Qyburn said while casting an observant eye over Kenna.

Kenna replied by closing her eyes and listening to the naying of the horse pulling the cart behind her head.

* * *

_Few hours later …._

**Unnamed path between the Twins and the Kingsroad, North Riverlands**

* * *

Kenna woke to the pitter patter of horses' hoofs hitting the hard ground. She turned her head to look around her and could only see trees and undergrowth on either side of the path they were on. She was now covered in a fur blanket, no doubt Qyburn's doing. Qyburn was staring into the woods from his seated position on the cart. The Mountain was leading the group at the front but kept looking back over his shoulder to make sure Kenna was still incapacitated on the cart. Lannister men surrounded her and she wondered if she was capable of obtaining one of the daggers that hung on the belts of the soldiers and slitting her own throat before anyone could stop her. She hardly had the energy to come up with that plan let alone execute it. She slumped further into the cart trying in vain to come up with an idea to escape her current situation.

She had a few minutes of thoughtful plotting when a few arrows whizzed past the space above the cart and tore through some of the Lannister men's' backs. Kenna swore she heard a howl as men carrying the flayed man sigil came dashing out of the woods on either side of the Mountains party. Kenna lacked the energy to swivel her head to see the commotion behind her but she heard the sound of metal cutting through bone and the roars of the Mountain.

A few Bolton men ran up to the cart and held Qyburn at sword point. "Your Grace," they said. Kenna nodded back at them and felt a wave of relief flow through out her body.

Lord Bolton appeared at her side of the cart.

"Good to see you again, your Grace. Although I hope you don't mind me saying that I have seen healthier looking corpses," he said while keeping an eye on the thrashing Mountain.

Kenna lips curled into a smile. Only Northmen could get away with such words to a Queen.

"I suppose I am a little pale in my current condition but in my defence most people who end up in the Green Fork actually become corpses," Kenna said while holding up a hand which Lord Bolton grabbed and lifted her up out of the cart on to her feet.

Once up and leaning heavily on Lord Bolton she turned to see the rest of the battle. The Mountain was fending of a dozen of Bolton soldiers all by himself while the rest of his men were slaughtered by the Northerners. Kenna heard a howl again as a giant wolf burst through the woods and rushed towards the Mountain. Behind the direwolf was Robb Stark yelling and running to join the fray.

Kenna couldn't help the smile that graced her face when seeing Robb. He had found her. He had saved her. _This almost makes up for putting me in this situation, _Kenna thought to herself. But there was no denying the joy that she was feeling in this moment as the King in the North cut through a Lannister man and continued his charge towards the Mountain.

His direwolf, Grey Wind struck out at the Mountain's legs and when he went to swing at the wolf, the rest of the men converged on the Mountain from all sides and stabbed at his unarmoured flesh. The Mountain yelled out in pain as the Northern men found their marks. Eventually the Mountain fell to his knees and his sword dropped from his hand and clattered to the ground. Robb Stark stood over the Mountain and swung his sword. It separated the Mountain's head from his body. Robb Stark picked the large head up and strode towards Kenna and Lord Bolton with a wild look on his face.

"I promised to bring you the Mountain's head. Call it a belated wedding gift," Robb Stark said as he sheathed his sword and attached the Mountain's enormous head to his horse. One he had made sure the head was secure he turned to Kenna and said, "there is nothing to fear from him now, your Grace."

Kenna recognised this stage of grief in Robb. The overwhelming anger at the loss of those you cared about could rip a person in two or make said person rip other people in two. She looked at the Mountain's body. She now knew which type of person Robb was.

_It seems the young wolf and I have a few things in common,_ Kenna noted as Robb walked to the other side of Kenna and helped Lord Bolton seat Kenna on his horse.

"Another head for your collection, your Grace," Lord Bolton stated once Kenna was sitting comfortably on Robb's horse.

"Yes, I don't think it will be the last one," Kenna said in a weak but content voice. "Thank you for rescuing me my Lord, your Grace."

Robb Stark jumped onto his horse just in front of Kenna and replied, "We wouldn't have found you in time if Qyburn hadn't sent us a raven informing us that some Riverland villagers had found you half dead on the bank of the Green Fork and had sold you to the Mountain."

"He is your spy?" Kenna questioned with a confused look on her face as she glanced back at Qyburn who was no longer held at sword point.

"No, just someone who owed me a favour. He has now repaid that favour." Robb inclined his head towards Qyburn. Sensing Kenna's unspoken question Rodd said, "I rescued him from Harrenhal after the Mountain had slaughtered all those he could not take with him."

"Your Grace, it would be an honour to help you further if you will allow me," Qyburn said as he approached the King and Queen.

Robb nodded and Lord Bolton indicated for Qyburn to jump back on the cart. The Northern men had finished looting the dead Lannister bodies and were returning to their horses. Lord Bolton shouted the command to return to the Twins.

"You weren't the only thing of importance Qyburn wrote about in his letter. Qyburn also claims he attended to a one handed Jamie Lannister. Apparently a bear got the better of him on his journey through the Riverlands. He was accompanied by a woman warrior before the Mountain found them all and sent the Kingslayer on his way to King's Landing with the woman and kept Qyburn," Robb said.

"What, you could have recapture him and made Tywin Lannister trade for your sisters. It may not have end the war but you would have had your sisters back. After everything you have been through you would surely have taken that trade?" Kenna said in a quiet voice.

"I would have but I couldn't spare the men to go searching for him."

"Why in the seven hells not," Kenna said her voice edged with anger. She was tired of opportunities being missed in this war.

Robb fiddled with his horse's reigns, "Qyburn made it clear that even if you survived the fever, you would not survive the Mountain. I had my men searching for you."

_He chose to save me not his sisters,_ Kenna deduced.

"You chose to save me instead of capturing Jamie. Why? You could have had the key to getting your sisters back."

Robb moved one hand over his face before replying in a heavy voice, "My sisters won't help me win this war, I love them but they mean nothing in terms of war. I have made enough mistakes thinking with my heart." He paused trying to skip through the memories at the Twins that flashed through his head. "I have to make decisions based on facts and what is best for my people, not my family. You control the Arryn army, without your personal support of me I don't imagine your army will still want to fight for our cause but rather hole up in the Vale."

That is exactly what would have happened if Kenna had died. It was the smart play, the only play really, for the Arryn army to defend their own territory with a defender's advantage. Kenna doubted whether her survival would really alter this outcome though.

Kenna was about to reply to Robb's emotional words but he wasn't interested in discussing the topic further as he kicked his horse onwards and all Kenna could do to not slip of was to hold onto Robb's torso with all her remaining strength.

* * *

After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence with so many thoughts going through her head Kenna decided she had to voice them.

"Thank you, your Grace for saving me. You have no idea how relived I am that you found me. Especially before the Mountain had any chance to … act on his impulses," Kenna mumbled into Robb's neck.

At Kenna's words Robb lost some of the tension that he had been holding onto since the last conversation ended.

"We are allies and I hope friends. We support each other in our worst moments and we never give up on our friends. Besides I owed you a debt for opening the hall door at the Twins. I fear if that had remained shut we would have all died," Robb said in a sombre voice.

After a period of silence where Kenna was trying to figure out how best to breach the subject of what had happened at the Twins she decided to just speak her mind.

"Your Grace …. Robb, I am sorry for what happened at the Twins, your mother deserved better, your wife and child deserved better. I wish I had realised sooner the Freys intentions."

"Stop," Robb said in a sharp tone portraying his tender emotions on the subject. "What happened at the Twins wasn't your fault, you are lucky you escaped with your life. Which is a story you will have to tell me about."

Kenna closed her eyes at the mention of her plunge into the Green Fork. _Oh Jasper I am sorry._ Losing Jasper wasn't on the same level as losing your wife or your unborn child and although Kenna hadn't loved Jasper he was someone she defiantly could have grown to love. She missed his protective presence already.

Robb continued his confessional speech "I made the mistakes that led to that night. The fault lies with me and I will have to do everything in my power to make sure I don't repeat the same mistakes again."

Robb was clearly hurting at the thought he bore responsibility for the deaths of his loved ones but he wasn't the one that had disregarded the laws of guest privilege or betrayed his liege lord. The Freys had killed Catelyn and the Freys alone had killed Talisa and Robb's unborn child. Self-pity never helped anyone, least of all a King.

"I think I know you quite well your Grace, and I think you are being too hard on yourself. Yes, you have made political mistakes, what leader hasn't? But what the Freys did that wasn't just because of your marriage choice, no they would have found another excuse to stab you in the back and you have already made them pay for their treachery."

Robb turned his neck so that he could see Kenna's face. "Thank you for your kind words. I believe you helped with the dispatching of the Freys."

"Yes, well my husband's death was the best thing that could have happened to my marriage from my point of view anyway," Kenna let out a tired chuckle. The image of the shock on Edwyn's face as he had fallen to the floor was one Kenna would cherish till the Stranger took her from this world.

Robb returned her attempt at lightening the conversation with an appreciative smile and urged his horse on towards the Twins.

The two towering castles loomed over the landscape ahead and the rushing of the water in the Green Fork was beginning to drown out the noise of the horses' hoofs.

_Only misery waits in those walls,_ Kenna thought. _Best make my second stay there a short one._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> R.I.P
> 
> The Mountain (Head decapitation via sword)
> 
> Died by Robb's hand trying to bring Kenna back to King's Landing. I know, I know what about Tyrion's Trial by Combat or Cleganebowl. Well you are just going to have to keep reading aren't you. :P


	14. The Falcon and the Wolf

* * *

_Next day …._

**Bridge between the Twin Castles, The Twins, Northern Riverlands**

* * *

Kenna leaned heavily on the railing as she looked down into the river. She was at the exact spot where Jasper had pushed her over. His actions had probably saved her from getting raped by multiple Freys but she couldn't help but shiver at the memory of the fall.

"Your Grace, you should really be inside. It is too cold out here," Qyburn said as he shuffled back and forth on his feet.

Kenna nodded her agreement and started a slow walk back inside while keeping one hand on the railing. Qyburn had been shadowing her since her return to the Twins, not letting her out of his sight. Kenna appreciated the attentiveness to her health and knew that without his help the past few days she would either be dead on the banks of the Green Fork or dead at the hands of the Mountain lying in a ditch on the King's Road. But she was feeling a lot better. She wasn't shaky on her feet anymore and fast movements didn't threaten to send her to the floor. She hadn't recovered fully but she had recovered enough to handle a long ride back to the Eyrie.

* * *

She made her way with Qyburn trailing her to the main hall where her wedding had taken place. Waiting there for her in a huddle was Robb, Edmure and the Blackfish. Edmure came to her straight away as she passed through the door.

"Your Grace, can I help you," he said in an earnest voice walking with Kenna as she made her way to the centre of the room.

"No Edmure, Qyburn is keeping his eye on me so there is no need for you to do so as well," Kenna said dismissively as she approached the Blackfish and Robb.

The Blackfish wasn't as sensitive as his nephew. "Now we have established you are still alive let's discuss how we are all going to stay in the land of the living."

"I understand that the Freys were … dealt with and the Stark host is roughly five thousand men strong now?" Kenna inquired.

Robb looked away from the high chair that he had found his mother in and nodded his confirmation that he only had five thousand men at his disposal now.

Kenna absorbed this information and put a hand through her loosely plaited hair. "Then this war is over," she said definitively.

"What," Edmure yelped in surprise. "We can't give up," he exclaimed. "The Lannisters need to pay for what they have done to the Riverlands, it will take generations to recover."

"There is no point in fighting a war that can't be won," Kenna stated forcefully. "We don't have the numbers to defend our own territories let alone assault King's Landing. Tywin Lannister will know what happened here and it won't take him long to mobilise his forces to snuff out what remains of our alliance."

"We make a last stand then," Edmure said unwilling to give up.

"Don't be bloody foolish," the Blackfish said as he smacked the back of Edmure's head. "The smart play is to retreat to fight another day. For House Tully to have a future you need to survive."

"What do you suggest then," Robb asked as he finally joined the conversation and looked between his uncle and great uncle.

Kenna took a slow step towards Robb diverting his attention from his family members.

"I suggest that you return to Winterfell, take it back from Theon Greyjoy and stay there. Winter is coming and no southern army will attack the North during winter. You will be safe there till the end of winter at least. Build up your forces and rule the North. Edmure should go with you too. The Riverlands can't be defended on multiple fronts with so little men. It would be a fool's errand."

Edmure was about to protest when the Blackfish silenced him with a look that threatened physical violence if he opened his mouth again.

"And what will you do?" Robb asked Kenna.

"I will return to the Eyrie and prepare my forces to face whatever comes our way," Kenna said with as much energy as she could muster.

"If the Lannister and Tyrell armies march on the Eyrie you will not hold it, they will outnumber you two to one," Robb pointed out. "Don't go back, come to Winterfell with me."

"I will not leave my people to the mercy of Tywin Lannister when I am the reason he will march his army to the Eyrie," Kenna shot back raising her voice not really at Robb but at the situation she found herself in.

Robb responded in an exasperated tone, "the Eyrie can only house five hundred fighting men. The main Arryn army will still have to face Tywin's forces in open battle. You just said that it would be foolish to fight a war you can't win. What makes facing Tywin Lannister at the Eyrie any different?"

"The Eyrie has never been breached and has enough supplies to hold out for years until winter comes. We may have little hope of fending Tywin's forces off in an open battle with his superior numbers but if we inflict enough damage during a staged battle around the Bloody Gate he may be inclined to sue for peace when faced with the prospect of spending years sieging the walls of the Eyrie during winter while enemies gather around his family. I will be fine," Kenna replied confidently.

She had practiced this speech numerous times out on the bridge in her head before approaching the three men. She just hoped the young wolf would see the logic behind her words.

Robb scoffed, "I am sure the men inside Casterly Rock felt the same way. You are underestimating Tywin Lannister's appetite for revenge. Are you forgetting what happened to the Reynes and Tarbecks?"

Kenna didn't reply, suddenly feeling tired. In her silence Robb stalked towards her, swiftly closing the distance between them.

"It doesn't matter if he crushes your forces on the open battle field or spends years laying siege to the Eyrie." Robb lowered his voice into a gentler tone as he got closer to Kenna, "Tywin Lannister will eventually get to you and do you think he will be forgiving to the person that took Casterly Rock from him?"

Kenna looked away from Robb, "If he gets to me, I expect him to execute me in front of my people as a statement to all those that dare challenge his power and tarnish his legacy. Such is the fate of a leader who has lost a war. But perhaps I will parlay with him and offer myself up to him on a silver platter, he could have his revenge without the need to slaughter thousands of Vale and Westerland men in the process."

Robb softly grabbed one of Kenna's arms to make sure she was looking at him as he said, "That might save your men but not you."

Kenna ignored Robb's comment and the way Robb's hand on her felt comforting as she muttered to herself more that to Robb, "No, I can't do that either. I fear that course of action would also doom you when spring comes around. Tywin Lannister would have a fully equip and fresh army ready to march to Winterfell. His army would outnumber the entire population of the North let alone the army you could cobble together. The Arryn forces would be paralysed under my brother's rule; they would be no help to you."

Robb removed his hand but remained in close proximity to Kenna. "Then make sure he never commands them. Bring the bulk of your army to Winterfell, leave five hundred men to defend the Eyrie, as you say it can last years if not maybe a decade under siege. You won't win against Tywin Lannister. Come with me to Winterfell," Robb pleaded again.

Kenna gave out an exhausted sigh, "A Queen that leaves her people to be conquered is no Queen. If I march my army to Winterfell I won't be welcomed back in the Vale. My men crave for their own beds and their families. They will fight harder and better for their homes than they ever would for the North."

They stared at each other intensely. Edmure and the Blackfish remained silent watching the flurry of exchanges as they awaited the final decision of the two monarchs.

The stare between them was broken when Robb murmured, "How do you do it? How do you plot and lead with no regards to your own feelings and wants?" He was clearly looking for advice so Kenna gave him a piece of advice her own father had passed down to her.

"I once asked my father the very same thing. He said 'the one thing I have learnt running Robert's Kingdom is to never let personal issues cloud my judgement.' I thought at the time he meant to be a good ruler you need a clear head and to look at all sides of a disagreement but I realise now he meant that as rulers we would need to make decisions that we would despise for the greater good of our people."

Robb raised his eyes to hold Kenna's gaze, "Our crowns do not sit easy on our heads, do they your Grace."

Kenna nodded in agreement, "No they do not." Kenna held Robb's eyes with her own as she continued, "I know there is a very slim chance of the Arryn forces winning. But I can ensure that when Tywin Lannister walks into the High Halls of the Eyrie victorious that it will feel like a defeat. Maybe I will inflict enough damage to his forces that Stannis will be able to launch a successful attempt on King's Landing."

"That is your play, sacrificing yourself and your army to give Stannis a better chance at taking King's Landing?" Robb said while bringing both hands to his head in disbelieve.

"Well you are not in a position to do so are you," Kenna said pointedly at Robb but controlled her rage as she saw Robb's eyes betray his emotions and regret. "There is no other play Robb, not for me at least."

"You joined this war at my behest, let the Northern forces join yours at the Eyrie and help defend the Eyrie," Robb offered.

Kenna shook her head and took a step away from Robb. She started to walk a slow circle around the King in the North as her mind worked through her reasoning. "A kind offer your Grace, but your duty is to protect the North, not die defending the Vale. Five thousand more men on the battle field won't help me, just provide Tywin Lannister men with more fodder to get through before assaulting the walls of the Eyrie. As you said I can only fit five hundred men in the Eyrie and it is the siege that will cost Tywin Lannister the most men, time and resources. You know the best course of action is for you to return to Winterfell and take it back from Theon Greyjoy and teach the Karstarks a lesson in loyalty. Be the King in the North," she urged as she came to a stop in front of Robb.

Robb looked like he wanted to continue arguing but brushed a hand through his hair as he sought out a nearby chair to sit in. "I will return to Winterfell, but this will not be the last time we see each other. Promise me that. Promise me that somehow you will live. Somehow you will outfox Tywin Lannister."

Kenna gave Robb a sad look but walked over to the seated King in the North and squeezed his outstretched hand that rested on the table surface. Maybe it was their shared experience as newly ascended monarchs or the fact that they had both survived the bloodiest wedding night in Westeros history but they both felt the impending loss of the others council heavily.

She managed to reply after she had battled the unexpected emotions that came with the thought of leaving Robb and his fellow Northern Lords.

"I promise Robb that I will do my best. I survived falling into the Green Fork how much harder will it be surviving a siege and Tywin Lannister's notorious sense of justice. Perhaps I will one-day visit Winterfell to find the King in the North sitting on his winter throne."

"Perhaps," Robb replied with a tight smile. Both knew that Tywin Lannister's wrath was much harder to survive than the treacherous waters of the Green Fork. But neither were willing to let the truth tarnish their last moments together.

Robb stood up from the chair and gave Kenna a kiss on the cheek before opening and closing his mouth like he had something else to say but he rushed out of the hall before he could muster the courage to say what was on his mind with Edmure on his heels. Whether he was running from the memories in this hall or the uneasy feeling of loss that had settled between them, Kenna was unsure.

The Blackfish approached Kenna. "I wish to join you at the Eyrie. I am an old man and I will not last the winter. No point me going up there just to die of old age. I ask to fight alongside Lord Royce in the Arryn army with your permission, your Grace."

"Granted, Ser Bryden. I am sure Lord Royce will be glad to have another hardened fighting man beside him in the coming battle."

_I know I am._

* * *

Robb and Edmure had just seen Kenna Arryn, the Blackfish and Qyburn ride off in the direction of the Kingsroad when they heard shouting around the camp. Robb immediately ran to where the commotion was. He saw before him the Hound and a little boy who seemed familiar. Robb took out his sword and joined his men as they surrounded the Hound. The Hound had a big hand gripping the young boys shoulder.

"Young wolf I brought you something you might want," Sandor yelled.

"What might that be," Robb asked as he stepped closer to the Hound with his sword at the ready.

"Your sister," the Hound yelled in a rough voice.

Those words stopped Robb in his tracks and he took a closer look at the boy.

_Could it be, Arya? Yes, that is Arya with short hair._

Arya still in the Hounds grasp started to struggle against him.

"Let her go," Robb shouted at the Hound.

"If I do that your men will skewer me. I want to be paid for bringing her to you and I want to be let go as a free man."

"And what will you do then? I hear you are a wanted man, something about abandoning your King at the Battle of Blackwater Bay."

"Fuck the King," the Hound spat out. "I will find my brother and slit his throat. After that it doesn't matter to me what I do."

Robb nodded at his men to give the Hound the money he wanted. "You may have your money but your brother is already dead. I killed him."

The Hound looked shocked at this revelation like his purpose for living had been snatched away. He released his grip on Arya long enough that she was able to squirm free and run towards Robb. Robb scooped her up into a massive hug not caring who saw his affection for his little sister. When Robb had put Arya down the Hound had returned his sword to his hip.

"You brought my sister back to me, you will have your money and you will be allowed to leave unharmed."

"You killed my brother," the Hound said in a disbelieving tone. "I want to see my brother's head and my money," the Hound snapped.

Robb ordered one of his men to fetch the Mountains head. It took a few minutes for the man to carry out the order and in the meantime Arya had told Robb of her adventures with the Hound since she had left King's Landing.

"Chickens?" Robb said as he struggled to keep up with what his sister was saying such was the speed at which each word was coming out of her mouth.

It took Robb a few moments to build up the courage to stop Arya. "Arya I need to tell you something ... Mother ... she-"

"Oh do you have to go get her? She will murder me if she sees me in this state?" Arya huffed as she looked down at the tattered clothes that hung to her slight frame.

Robb broke. "Arya Mother is dead."

Arya froze. She looked into her brothers eyes and saw the truth. "Who?"

"Lord Walder Frey is responsible. I killed him and eradicated his entire house for what he did to Mother. For what he did to Talia too."

Arya looked around her as if registering that her mother really wasn't there to greet her. Every northern face she saw gave her sympathy. It was too much for her. She scampered of out of sight, running fast and ignoring her brother's cries to come back.

Robb signalled for some of his guards to follow his little sister but also looked at Grey Wind expectantly. The great dire-wolf trotted off to follow Arya once Robb had got its attention.

The Northman Robb had sent away earlier returned with the Hounds purse and the Mountains head. The Hound ignored the purse for his brother's head.

"Fucking typical, you couldn't last a few more days until I had got a hold of you," The Hound said to his brother's slightly rotting head.

Robb walked towards the Hound. "You could take the money and go do whatever it is you think you will do now or you could join me in the North. You are a wanted man in these parts. It won't take long for someone to stab you in the back while you sleep. Arya says you protected her well during your _adventures_ and I need all the men I can get. Join me."

The Hound stared at Robb then at Arya. He let out a tirade of swear words. "You killed my brother, you took away the one thing that has kept me alive all these years."

"Let me replace that purpose. Join my army, we will march North and when the winter thaws we will descend on the South and kill as many of our enemies as possible."

"Fine, but I won't be taking orders from any numpty Northern Lord," the Hound said while eyeing the gathering crowd around him.

"Just me," Robb agreed.

The Hound snorted but nodded and joined the groups of men preparing to leave the Twins. Robb addressed the Northman holding the Mountain's head and pointed to the head, "Make sure the Queen over the Mountains get that."

Out of the corner of his eye Robb saw Arya run back towards him as quickly as she had run away. Grey Wind lumbered after her as some Northmen huffed and puffed to keep up with the wild wolf and nimble girl.

Robb knelt down to Arya's height as she came close and gave her a hug. "It is so good to see you again little sister and I know you are upset about mother. I am too but please know I made the Freys pay for her death." Robb tightened his hold on his little sister, "I have dreamt of this moment every night since you left Winterfell."

"What about Sansa," Arya questioned into Robb's chest as she attempted to hold her emotions in.

Robb put his hands protectively around Arya's shoulders as he stood from their hug. "We can't get to her yet; we need time to prepare another army and we need Queen Kenna Arryn to deal as much damage as possible to Tywin and Loras's armies. But we will never stop trying to save her. Whether it be by war or negotiation, Sansa will return to Winterfell," Robb promised.


	15. The Queen's Gambit

* * *

_A week later …._

**The Eyrie, Seat of Arryn power in the Vale**

* * *

Kenna, Qyburn and the Blackfish rode into the open courtyard of the Eyrie to the cheers of the Vale men who recognised Kenna as their Queen. Lord Royce was there to meet them. Absent was Lady Lysa and Robin who Kenna hadn't expected to welcome her back anyway. _Robin probably doesn't even know I have returned,_ thought Kenna. If she survived this war she promised herself she would spend more time with her little brother, he was an Arryn after all and he would fly with the right guidance.

Once her horse was stationary and her feet once again felt solid ground she turned only to be gathered into an overwhelming crushing hug by Lord Royce who seemed to forget the traditional greeting of one's monarch is to bow. But Kenna didn't mind she loved Lord Royce like a father, he could do no wrong as far as she was concerned.

Lord Royce mumbled to her through the hug, "I thought you were dead. I really did. I heard about your wedding and what happened …. but here you are."

Lord Royce released Kenna but kept a hand on her shoulder as if she might fade into ash at any moment. Kenna covered that hand with one of her own.

"You are a sight for sore eyes Yohn. Yes, I survived my wedding and it was thanks to my two companions," Kenna said as she pointed out Qyburn and the Blackfish who had both dismounted their own horses and were watching the touching reunion from a respectable distance.

"Ah the Blackfish," Lord Royce said casting his eyes over the old warrior. "He and I go way back."

"Yes he has mentioned many times on the road how he beat you duelling when you were boys growing up in the Eyrie," Kenna said with a grin on her face.

"He thinks he beat me, that is not how I remember it," huffed Lord Royce as he went to greet his old friend.

_Ah it's good to be back,_ Kenna thought as she walked towards the Eyrie. The light and the wind swirled around the towers of the Eyrie highlighting the falcons that circled above.

* * *

Alyssa crept around the bookcases of the Eyrie's Great Library. The Great Library was normally busy with scholars rushing around carrying dusty piles of books and getting into heated debates with each other. But today it was dead silent. Scholars were no help during a battle or siege, they couldn't fight and were normally smart enough to run from impending violence.

_Maybe that is what we should have done_, Alyssa thought to herself as she wandered aimlessly through the bookshelves.

Alyssa didn't know much about the war effort or the perilous position House Arryn was in. No one consulted the mute sister of the Queen on battle strategy. In fact, no one really interacted with her apart from her sister and little Artys. She didn't mind the physical isolation as she had been coping with the mental isolation for near a decade now. She had got use to silence and now used it as a blanket to protect herself. Silence meant she was alone and if she was alone there was no one there to hurt her.

Alyssa saw movement behind some bookshelves to her left and her mind snapped back to her present. _I got you now, little Artys,_ Alyssa playfully thought as she tiptoed her way towards the source of the movement.

Artys always won their games of hid and seek. He was small, quick and constantly on the move. But everyone had an off day and Alyssa felt it was her time to win.

Alyssa was grateful to have Artys as a companion. Truth be told she would have probably thrown herself from the highest tower in the Eyrie when Kenna left for war if her sister hadn't left Artys in charge of her care. She knew where the fondness of Artys came from, she also knew where her sporadic fits of terror came from when in his company. So far the joy of watching him grow up had outweighed the occasional bad memory surfacing. She thanked her sister every day for having the understanding and foresight to introduce her to Artys a few years ago.

Alyssa mind focused on her sister. She saw the strain that ruling took on Kenna and how she had changed since her return to the Eyrie. Kenna had lost her soft edges and a dangerous gleam had entered her eyes. Kenna was more commanding, her word carried more weight, her decisions were far reaching, and her rage could be felt wherever she went.

Alyssa painfully thought back to her captivity at Pyke. Kenna had always contained the capacity for violence but she had always controlled those impulses and turned them in to quiet determination. At least she had until the day she and Benjen Stark had broken down the door of the Sea Tower to rescue Alyssa and saw what state she was in. Beaten, terrified and pregnant. Now it appeared she was embracing the flame of destruction that burned away inside of her and feeding of it to achieve her goal of vengeance for their father's murder.

Alyssa wondered what would happen when that goal was achieved. Would her sister revert from the wrathful storm she had become to the calm lake she used to be?

Alyssa reached the corner of the bookcase she had been shuffling across. She was preparing to jump out and scare the unaware Artys when she heard hushed tones coming from around the corner.

The whispers didn't belong to a young boy but to her good mother Lysa Arryn and the Vale Lord Lyn Corbray who were slowly walking through one of the library's aisle.

"My men are ready and loyal to you my Lady, just make sure Littlefinger keeps his end of the bargain," the Lords deep voiced vibrated around the books.

"He never fails, and is never wrong my Lord," Lysa squeaked.

"Very well my Lady," Lord Corbray responded.

After a a few deep breaths Alyssa heard their footsteps growing fainter. She poked her head around the bookshelf to see the odd couple exit the library.

"Did you hear that too," a quiet voice came from her right elbow.

Alyssa jumped back in surprise as Artys hovered by the other corner of the bookshelf. She nodded to him once she had composed herself.

"Who is Littlefinger?" he questioned with curious eyes.

Alyssa shrugged she hardly knew the names of the people she saw every day, let alone her good mother's friends.

"Okay well, I think I won again," Artys said as he stuck out a tongue at Alyssa. Alyssa smiled, the conversation between Lysa and Lord Corbray already forgotten as she chased Artys through the bookshelves.

* * *

Since Kenna's return to the Eyrie she hadn't had the time to enjoy being back in her childhood home. All her effort and time had been going to preparing the Eyrie for a siege and the Arryn army for battle with Lord Royce. She had hardly seen her siblings or her good mother since her return.

She had received word that Tywin Lannister had left King's Landing with Loras Tyrell and they were marching their armies towards the Vale. The last scout report put them at the town of Darry, half a day's ride from crossing the Trident. The Lannister and Tyrell armies would be assaulting the Bloody Gate within the week. Kenna had also received a raven from Robb Stark assuring her that his small host would reach Winterfell within the next week as well and that he wished her fortune in the coming battle.

Kenna had found that she missed the Northerners rowdy company and her newly forged bond with the King in the North but she was glad they had returned North. Northerners really did not fare well when they ventured south.

Kenna made her way to her sister's rooms and before knocking she was surprised to hear a child's laughter coming from inside. She pushed the door open to see Alyssa covered in paint as well as Artys who was running around the room trying to avoid Alyssa's paint brush.

Kenna couldn't help herself from smiling at the scene before her and forgetting the troubles that marched her way.

"What is happening here?" she joyfully asked as she entered the room.

Artys stopped his running and got caught by Alyssa's paint brush. His face was plastered with a light shade of blue. Alyssa turned towards Kenna once she had painted Artys a new face and had a mischievous grin on her own face. It had been so long since Kenna had seen her sister genuinely smile or exhibit any happy emotions. And it was all down to the little boy covered in light blue paint. Just as she had hoped.

"My Lady, ugh your Grace, look your sister got me," Artys said barely containing his laughter while pointing to his head.

"Yes, I can see from your face, gods you have grown how old are you now, ten?" Kenna teased.

"I am eleven," Artys said proudly puffing out his chest as Alyssa walked up to Kenna and gave her a gentle hug. Kenna was shocked, she hadn't received a hug from Alyssa since before the Greyjoy incident.

Kenna relished the hug and spoke softly, "Good to see you too sister, I am glad you are having some fun with young Artys."

Artys sensing the reunion was a private moment, edged towards the door and excused himself.

Alyssa released Kenna and beckoned her over to see her latest painting. To Kenna's surprise it wasn't another version of the view from the Sea Tower in Pyke but a picture of Arty's face mid chuckle.

Kenna looked wide eyed to Alyssa, "You know don't you?"

Alyssa simply nodded, her speech still not returned but her eyes conveyed her words of joy and thanks to her sister.

* * *

Kenna sat at her desk reading a report detailing the movements of the Arryn ships she had sent to Dragonstone and the whereabouts of the Lannister and Tyrell armies when Lysa was announced as a guest in her chambers.

Kenna wondered what would bring her good mother to her study. They hadn't really communicated since Kenna's return. She suspected usurping Robin in the succession line was the main reason for that but they hadn't really spent any time together before that either. So her visit was an unusual event and one that was unwelcome at this crucial stage of planning.

Lysa strolled into the study and sat down in the chair opposite the desk. Kenna could see her freeze at the sight of the two skulls that rested on her desk's surface. Just for effect Kenna dipped her quill in her newly acquired ink pot which was formally the Mountain's head and scribbled on the piece of parchment in front of her.

"Dear good mother, what can I do for you?" Kenna said politely, noting how Lysa hand tightened when she uttered the word 'mother'.

"I would like you to declare my son your heir," Lysa paused for a beat before brazenly meeting Kenna's gaze across the desks, "and I have never been your mother."

Kenna put the quill down and sat back in her chair, her eyes narrowed as her full attention focused on Lysa.

_I wonder if she was born a bitch or does she work at it each day?_ Kenna seriously pondered the answer.

"Very true, being a mother to two seven-year-old girls actually requires spending time with them. You could never bring yourself to do that, could you," Kenna said accusingly.

Lysa visibly shrank away from Kenna's attention, regretting pointing out the cold relationship between the two. Kenna relished the obvious discomfort Lysa was in and let the silence stretch out before answering Lysa's demand.

"Regarding your request for Robin, is that not apparent that he is my heir already?" Kenna replied wondering where Lysa had gotten the idea Robin wasn't her heir from.

Lysa glanced again at the skulls on display, "You have a sister."

"Who is incapable of speaking let alone ruling, of course Robin is my heir. He always shall be. He is my brother and I have no intention of getting married let alone having children. I will announce he is my heir and write a letter declaring it as well, if it makes you feel any better."

The last sentence seemed to calm Lysa down as the tension in her shoulders dispersed.

"Why did you refuse to retreat to Longbow Hall? You and Robin would be safe there and there is a direct shipping route to Essos, if things go badly here," Kenna enquired now that Lysa had relaxed in her presence.

A sly smile formed on Lysa's lips as she replied, "I have complete faith in the Knights of the Vale to defend the Eyrie and House Arryn."

_Do you know something I don't?_ Kenna questioned as she watched her good mother rise from her chair and hurry out of her study.

* * *

Kenna, the Blackfish, Lord Royce and the rest of the Lords of the Vale were sat around a round table in one of the main chambers in the Eyrie. Kenna and the Blackfish had already explained their three-tiered plan.

The first part was to stage the battle around the Bloody Gate giving the Arryn army the defenders' advantages of making the enemy come to them and fighting from an elevated position. Many Lannisters and Tyrells would die trying to assault the Bloody Gate and scale its walls. But they had enough men to wear the defenders on top down.

The second part would start when the Arryn army inevitably got overrun at the Bloody Gate with the superior numbers of the enemy. They were to fall back to just outside the walls of the Eyrie where the army would regroup and benefit from archer support from those inside the Eyrie.

The third part would start when all Arryn soldiers outside the Eyrie were defeated. The remaining Arryn soldiers were to hold their defensive positions in the Eyrie and fend off the siege to its walls for as long as possible hoping either winter or impatience defeated the opposing army.

This was to be a battle of attrition. How many men would Tywin Lannister be willing to lose to take the Eyrie? That was the magic number that Kenna's men had to kill for the Old Lion to broker a peace and not simply destroy everything in his path.

_How many men need to die for me to live?_ Kenna wondered.

All the present Lords agreed upon their roles in the battle plan and left the table to start preparing their own men. Lord Lyn Corbray shot Kenna a smile that showed his teeth as he exited the room while chatting to a fellow Vale Lord. All the Lords left apart from the Blackfish and Lord Royce.

"Did the ships set sail this morning?" enquired the Blackfish.

"Yes with all three thousand Arryn men crammed on board and our treasures from Casterly Rock as well. The ships should get to Dragonstone sometime in the next week," Kenna replied.

"I hope that was a smart move to send your men to Stannis as we could have really used them here," the Blackfish said.

"If we end up in a prolonged siege, which is what I suspect will happened with or without those three thousand men in our army, it may pay to bolster Stannis's forces so he launches another attempt on King's Landing. This in turn may draw Tywin away from the Eyrie back to King's Landing. He may not value his men's lives enough to sue for peace but I know he values his families lives enough to abandon a siege on the Eyrie to save them from Stannis's punishments."

The Blackfish's eyes lit up, "Ah you are a bright one aren't ya. Can't win the battle, so you find a way to win the siege."

Kenna looked to Lord Royce, "I have an excellent teacher."

She addressed both experience warriors with her next question, "Are we confident that the Bloody Gate is the best place to initiate battle from?"

"Yes, it is the perfect structure to mount a defence from. I must inform you, your Grace that we will not hold the Bloody Gate for long though. They will lose many men taking it but they will have enough men to overrun us and to march to the Eyrie," Lord Royce noted in a dour voice.

"Yes, and they will lose many men trying to take the Eyrie as well," Kenna said.

Royce admired Kenna's resolve in the face of near certain defeat. "I will join the army at the Bloody Gate. I am guessing you will want to join me for the initial parlay though?"

"You know me so well, my Lord. I wouldn't miss the opportunity to look Tywin Lannister in the face and brag about capturing Casterly Rock. It may be the last enjoyable thing I do."

"Good, prepare yourself because his army is less than a day's ride from the Bloody Gate," Lord Royce said.

* * *

Next day …

**The Bloody Gate, in the Vale**

_Two days' ride from the Eyrie_

* * *

Tywin Lannister looked upon the Bloody Gate from his seated position on his horse. He had never seen it before in person. _Smaller than I imaged,_ he thought. Nothing is as impressive as the stories would have you believe it seemed. Ser Loras was beside him when a messenger relayed the news that the Arryn forces wanted to parlay.

Tywin looked thoughtfully up at the Mountains._ Of course they do. The weaker side always wants to make the first move._

Tywin Lannister looked to the messenger and simply barked, "Organise it."

"What if it is a trap, my Lord," Loras warned.

"Keep vigilant and at the first sign of trickery we will attack," Tywin reasoned.

After an hour of staring at the Bloody Gate, Tywin Lannister's patience was beginning to fray but the Bloody Gate opened to let a small party on horseback through. Tywin kicked his horse forward to meet the Arryn party. It was small only a dozen riders and with two he recognised. Lord Royce and Queen Kenna. His mind flashed back to the last time they had parlayed. Their roles were reversed this time and Tywin sensed the outcome would be different too.

Tywin briefly thought about ordering his much larger party to just directly attack and capture the two leaders but he knew this was the trap Loras had been wary of. If he were to attack the Arryn party, they would swiftly retreat towards the Bloody Gate hoping to lure either himself or Ser Loras into the firing range of their archers.

_Hoping to cut the head of the snake off before it wraps itself around you. Clever girl, _Tywin realised as he observed Queen Kenna stop her horse just short of his own with Lord Royce by her side. Tywin wondered if Lord Royce ever left Kenna's side. He clearly had a father's love for the girl.

"My Lady, have you come to discuss the terms of your surrender?" Lord Tywin's voice boomed through the air, causing Ser Loras's horse to whine beside him.

Queen Kenna shrugged off the insult of the greeting and defiantly said, "I once told you my Lord that I would never surrender to you and this occasion is no different."

Lord Tywin's mind returned to that cyvasse game they had shared all those years ago. "If I remember correctly my Lady, I won that game as I will win this war and you can't simply pack up the pieces and leave once you have lost a war."

"And what will you do if I surrender my Lord? Will you allow my men to go back to their homes or will you slaughter them as traitors? Judging on your past actions my Lord if we surrender we die but if we fight we might yet survive."

"An example will be made, but your men don't have to be that example," Tywin said while watching Kenna's facial expressions.

The implication was clear. She would be that example.

Kenna decided to bring Ser Loras into the conversation. "Ser Loras, I suppose the fact you are opposing me here today means you declined my marriage offer?"

"I thought you marrying the Frey meant you had withdrawn the offer, my Lady," Ser Loras replied.

"I never married the Frey," Kenna said darkly.

"No, you killed him," Tywin interjected.

"A Frey as a King, I think not. Their traitorous actions on my wedding night demonstrated their unworthiness to even be Lords let alone royalty," Kenna spat out.

"How did you survive," Ser Loras asked her but Tywin answered.

"She was found on the banks of the Green Fork, half dead by some smallfolk. Ser Gregor Clegane was supposed to bring her to King's Landing to face the King's Justice but as you can see she is here before us and Ser Gregor is not."

_Thank the gods for Qyburn,_ thought Kenna.

She switched her gaze from Loras to Tywin, "The Mountain died at King Robb's hand as he rescued me from your mad dog's clutches," Kenna stated gleefully remembering the sound the sword made as it sliced through the Mountain's thick neck.

Royce watched the exchanges in silence noting how Kenna didn't need his help anymore in dealing with the men in front of her. She was holding her own and it made him feel proud. She could handle herself.

Tywin fixed Kenna with one of his legendary cold stares. Kenna did not shrink away. She had learnt from her last encounter with Tywin that that is what he wanted. She couldn't let this man sense any weakness so she met his cold eyes with her own.

The silence that ensued seemed to infect the surrounding men with nervousness but no one was willing to break the silent battle that was going on between Tywin and Kenna.

Tywin pursed his lips and gave Kenna one last chance to concede, "Will you not surrender and save your men?"

Kenna remained in composed silence, with her eyes firming set on the Lord Hand.

_Not in a thousand winters will I surrender to you, Old man._

"So be it, my Lady," Tywin said before turning his horse to return to his army.

Ser Loras shot Kenna a sad look but bowed his head before following Lord Tywin with the rest of his men.

_And so it begins,_ thought Kenna as she too turned her horse to return to the Bloody Gate and ride onwards to the Eyrie.

* * *


	16. Family, Duty, Betrayal

* * *

_A day later .._

_ **The Bloody Gate, in the Vale** _

_In the midst of battle_

* * *

Tywin looked upon the Bloody Gate as he commanded his forces forward with his sword stretched to the sky. He was going to enjoy the moment when he got to the top of the mountain. The prize wasn't the Eyrie; the prize was the woman who sat atop the mountain who dared to challenge the Lions of Casterly Rock. Her execution in King's Landing would serve as a further warning to all those that even thought of challenging the might of House Lannister. Once she was dealt with it would be the King in the North's turn to face the armies of the South.

Right now his troops were testing the Bloody Gates defences like how fingers might feel the surface of a mirror to find the crack you can't see but know is there. If his troops didn't find the weak point soon Tywin would curl his fingers into a fist and punch through the Vale defences by sending all his troops forward in a full frontal attack to overwhelm the Arryn defences on the Bloody Gate. His aim was to shatter the world of the would be Queen over the Mountains and losing a few more troops than necessary wasn't going to stand in his way.

* * *

Lord Royce stood atop the Bloody Gate, yelling instructions for his archers to fire. The Lannister army had been throwing themselves against the Bloody Gate for the best part of a day and so far, the Gate and the men that defended it had held strong. Every few minutes some Lannisters or Tyrell men managed to climb the ladders to reach the top of the wall but there had been enough Arryn men covering the walls that none had so far gotten past the Bloody Gate.

Royce knew this would not last as the piles of dead Arryn soldiers continued to grow with each Lannister or Tyrell incursion over the walls.

Lord Royce ducked behind the wall as a barrage of arrows flew past it, hitting some unlucky Arryn men. Lord Royce looked over the wall to see a sea of red, green and gold scaling up it. The first man that reached the top got Lord Royce's sword through his chest and he fell flailing and shrieking from the top of the ladder. Another solider quickly replaced him and Lord Royce prepared to strike another blow. But the Blackfish got there first slashing the man's throat and spraying the floor with Lannister blood. Before another man could climb over the wall Lord Royce and the Blackfish together pushed the ladder from the wall. The terrified screams of the men who had been climbing the ladder could barely be heard over the clashing of swords that echoed all around the valley.

'We can't keep this up," Lord Royce stated while catching his breath.

"No, we can't," the Blackfish agreed while lining up his bow shot and releasing the arrow into the crowd of soldiers below.

"Retreat with half the men, I will hold the bastards here for as long as possible," Lord Royce yelled as he swiped at a nearby Tyrell solider.

The Blackfish clearly didn't want to leave Lord Royce but obeyed as he saw his old friend land a killing blow on the young Tyrell solider. The Blackfish rushed away from the Bloody Gate calling for the planned retreat to the Eyrie. Not once did he look back afraid that if he did he would turn his horse around, the plan be damned.

Lord Royce watched as half his forces withdrew and wished his old friend luck in the next stage of the battle. It was his turn next.

Lord Royce wiped his sweaty brow as he witnessed the young Tyrell soldier take his last strained breath. Another Lannister soldier made it over the wall.

_They are like rats,_ thought the mighty Lord.

Lord Royce readied his tired limbs and gripped his bloodied sword tightly. He charged at the young soldier, yelling "For the Vale".

* * *

Kenna watched from the Eyrie's high walls as her army regrouped under the shadow of the Eyrie. She couldn't see Lord Royce among the men. It appeared that the Blackfish was the one issuing orders now. She failed to contain the cold feeling of dread that spread throughout her body at the thought of Lord Royce lying dead on the battle field covered in mud and blood. He didn't deserve that end. She forced the image from her mind as she observed the men below her.

The Lannister and Tyrell army approached the regrouped Arryn army and slowly started their offensive march. Kenna was pleased to see that their numbers were much depleted even if they still clearly outnumbered her own remaining army. This gave her hope that maybe the Blackfish could get that killing blow on either Lord Tywin or Ser Loras that they desperately needed to end this battle. If one of the leaders fell, there was a good chance that their men would abandon the fight.

Her aspirations were dashed as she saw the Blackfish engage in a duel with Ser Loras which ended up with the younger man's sword lodge in the Blackfish's gut. She closed her eyes and said a silent prayer for the Blackfish. Once she had control of her emotions she opened her eyes again.

Kenna scanned the battlefield below her spotting Lord Lannister hanging back from the fighting observing the battle as she was. He knew enough not to get involved in the thick of battle, enough to avoid Kenna's traps. Tywin looked unbothered by the raging battle in front of him as if he had already seen the scene in his mind and decided that this sacrifice of life was worth the reward of capturing the Eyrie.

_Damn him_, thought Kenna as she turned away from the screaming of the dying men below. She had seen enough. This battle would now turn into a siege that would last for many months possibly years. The Eyrie was well stocked with supplies and its walls much higher that the Bloody Gate. This was now a game of perseverance. No one enjoyed a siege, not the attackers and not the defenders.

* * *

Tywin watched as the small figure of Kenna disappeared from the top of the Eyrie's walls.

_Cower behind your walls, Lady Kenna. They will do you no good_._ I will reach you._

"Events seem to be going in our favour," a silky voice said behind Lord Tywin, redirecting his thoughts from the woman that had just disappeared from his view to the man yet to enter his field of vision.

"Lord Baelish, I thought you would have preferred to stay a bit further away from the battle," Tywin replied keeping his focus on the scene unfolding before him.

Lord Baelish rode his horse to stand in line with Tywin's. "This isn't a battle; this is a slaughter. The Queen over the Mountains hides behind her walls thinking that they will protect her. She is wrong."

"That remains to be seen, doesn't it Lord Baelish," Tywin replied sharply.

Tywin ended the conversation by kicking his horse forward. He needed to marshal the forces to siege the walls of the Eyrie. He relied on no other man's plan. If Lord Baelish's plan worked so be it but if it didn't he still had a long siege to conduct and win.

* * *

_Two weeks later …. _

**The High Hall, in the Eyrie, under sieged Seat of Arryn power in the Vale**

* * *

Kenna sat with her sister on a marble bench in the High Hall, with their hands intertwined. Both set of identical eyes were staring up at a painting of their father. The painting depicted a middle aged Jon Arryn sitting proudly on a grand wooden chair with a toddler twin daughter on each knee. The painting captured the peaceful inner happiness that existed before Robert's Rebellion in Jon Arryn. Standing beside the sitting Jon Arryn in the painting was Rowena Arryn, Kenna and Alyssa's mother. She had a delicate pale hand resting on Jon Arryn's shoulder and was looking down towards her two beaming daughters with a motherly expression on her face.

She had died shortly after this painting had been finished to a winter chill. Without this painting Kenna wouldn't even know what her mother looked like. Her memories were of soft gentle hands that tickled and a soothing voice that calmed her cries.

The moon's rays danced across the High Hall as the Falcon twins gazed upon what the Gods had taken from them. If their mother had lived, they could have had many more siblings and a matriarchal figure in their lives. If Lyanna Stark had married Robert Baratheon maybe they would have had a father that spent more time with his family than wearing himself down in service to an unworthy King.

The night's silence was broken when footsteps came from behind the twins. Kenna turned to look. Lysa was descending the marble stairs with a jug of wine and three cups in her hand. She beckoned Kenna and Alyssa over to sit with her on the steps leading to the moon door.

"Lysa, shouldn't you be in bed or tending to Robin?" Kenna asked in a tired tone as she and Alyssa walked over to their good mother.

"Robin is asleep; I didn't want him to witness anything he shouldn't," Lysa replied as she poured three cups of wine to the brim and held out two for Alyssa and Kenna to take.

"If he is going to be the King over the Mountain and Vale he will need to see plenty of distasteful things," Kenna pointed out as she accepted her cup. Alyssa did the same once Lysa practically shoved it into her hands.

Lysa patted the steps beside her with both hands as she sat down herself, her cup remained beside her hip. "Enough talk of distasteful things good daughter, both of you join me and have some wine. There is nothing more that can be done now so we can only wait and see what happens. We might as well enjoy ourselves as we wait."

_Good daughter am I now, _noted Kenna sarcastically.

Kenna didn't normally drink wine but it wasn't every day that her home was under siege and Lysa was right, there was nothing she could do now. She had moved all her pieces, enacted all her plans, and all there was to do now was to wait and hope she had done enough to save her people. She took a sip of the wine.

Kenna stared back up to the painting of her father as Alyssa sat beside Lysa and started to drink her wine looking out at the shadowy mountains through the windows of the High Hall, wishing she was indeed a falcon that could fly away and soar through the night air.

"Do you miss him? I know you don't care for me or Alyssa but did you care for him?" Kenna suddenly asked Lysa from her standing position over the closed moon door.

Lysa quickly looked away from Kenna as she replied, "I was married to him for so long, it is strange not to have him around anymore but his death was three years ago. I have moved on."

_What or who have you moved on to? _Kenna wondered.

Kenna noted that Lysa's response wasn't really an answer. When it was clear Lysa wasn't going to elaborate further Kenna walked over to where Lysa and her sister were sitting and placed her half consumed cup next to Alyssa's empty cup on the steps of the moon door. Her movement must have unsettled Lysa as she crossed over to the other side of the moon door refusing to look at the twins.

Kenna sat next to her sister who started to shiver and shake. _It is cold here, we should probably go to bed soon,_ Kenna thought as she rubbed her hands across her arms feeling the chill herself.

Kenna look up at her father's likeness, "Well, I miss him every day, his death is what started the Arryn involvement in this war."

Lysa offered no reply as she kept her back to Kenna and Alyssa. She started to fidgeted with the rings on her fingers as if she was impatient, waiting for something to happen.

Kenna continued to speak to the back of Lysa's head. "His death is what drives me. You never loved my father I know. It was an arranged marriage and recent events have made me see not all arranged marriages work out but he was a good man so I hope you found some happiness with him."

The chirping of the night's birds was all that could be heard. Kenna was beginning to get annoyed with her good mother's lack of response. She was about to stand and approach Lysa when her sister slumped into her shoulder.

"Alyssa, Alyssa can you hear me?" Kenna desperately asked as her sister collapsed away from her knocking the cups of wine over while hold her throat. Something was deeply wrong.

Kenna turned her sister over so she could she her face, "Alyssa what is wrong with your throat?" Alyssa's eyes portrayed her terror to Kenna but that didn't help identify the problem. Kenna's desperate hands clutched at Alyssa's clothes not knowing how to help her distressed sister.

Kenna yelled for Lysa to find help but Lysa appeared frozen to the spot just watching. Kenna caught the attention of a passing Arryn guard. "Find Qyburn NOW!" Kenna shouted at the man.

The Arryn guard took in the scene and sprinted off. Kenna tried to yell at her good mother to do something but the words stuck in her mouth and tumbled out in a coughing fit. Alyssa had closed her eyes and was breathing heavily, still clutching at her throat. Kenna laid a hand on Alyssa's forehead. It was sweaty and Alyssa continued to shake gently on the floor of the High Hall as she let out wheezy breaths.

_No, no, no, what is wrong? Alyssa! _Kenna's panicked thoughts smashed through her usually controlled demeanour. She started to feel sweat trickle down her neck and her vision started to blur slightly as she tried to focus on her sister.

She heard rushed footsteps enter the High Hall. A second later Qyburn's concerned face entered her line of sight. He was mumbling to himself, "unfocused eyes ….. fever like symptoms ….." as he quickly observed Kenna. Qyburn eyes lit up and a second later a tiny bottle was being pushed to her lips and a cooling liquid was dripping down her throat. Qyburn left her and bent over Alyssa mumbling to himself again.

_Concentrate Kenna_, she told herself as she dragged herself onto all fours panting. Her heart was beating as if she was charging into battle. She lifted her head from the stone cold floor and spotted the wine cups with their contents spilling across the floor towards the moon door where Lysa had sat down to watch the scene unfold before her with an untouched wine cup beside her. Kenna's eyes followed the stream and her mind started to connect the dots.

_The wine it was poisoned. Lysa tried to poison us. Why? ... My father was poisoned too. She was there that night. She poisoned my father! But why?_

Kenna didn't know the answer but she was certain Lysa had just attempted to murder both her good daughters.

Qyburn was still hunched over Alyssa administering her the same bottle of liquid he had to Kenna.

Kenna crawled to where the cups rested. She dragged herself to her feet with one of the cups in her hand. The world span around her as she did. Lysa's eyes followed her movements.

Once the world settled Kenna looked across the room at Lysa.

"Dear _good mother_, why have you not touched your wine?" Kenna slurred as she placed a hand on a nearby marble bench to support her.

Lysa gave a nervous look towards her cup, "I have had enough wine already tonight."

Rage clouded Kenna's mind and all her eyes saw was her father's murderer before her in the Eyrie, not out of reach in King's Landing.

"Was that to give you the courage to try to poison me? Did you do the same thing before you murdered my father?" Kenna snarled at her good mother as she pushed herself from the bench and stumbled towards Lysa.

The shock on Lysa's face confirmed Kenna's suspicions and she looked like a hare caught in the sights of a fox.

The fury surged through Kenna's veins. She threw the cup in her hand at the still sitting Lysa and lunged for her throat, placing her hands around the delicate windpipe of her good mother and started to squeeze. Lysa's eyes flashed with terror as she struggled to escape the wiry hands of her good daughter. Kenna's head was still groggy but the little gasps that escaped Lysa's mouth kept her focused on her unfinished task. Kenna enjoyed the way Lysa's eyes started to bulge in their sockets and the way her thrashing started to become fainter.

Suddenly Kenna could feel a few set of hands haul her away from Lysa. She let out a scream of singular rage and struggled against the hands holding her back. As she struggled to escape she saw her sister being carried out the room with Qyburn rushing to keep up beside her.

The image sobered her and she stilled herself, focusing on her own breathing. Her head felt clearer and the blurriness had vanished from her vision. Whatever Qyburn had given her had worked.

"Let me go," Kenna instructed. The two Arryn guards slowly released their hold on her. Before Kenna could announce her good mother's treachery Lord Lyn Corbray burst into the room out of breath.

"The Lannister and Tyrell armies are inside the Eyrie," he said between taking in gulps of air.

"What how did they get past the gates, the walls, the guards?" Kenna asked the Lord not believing this could happen. Her good mother was forgotten on the floor.

The Lord replied with a sadistic smile, "Because I ordered my men to let them through."

Kenna was lost for words as her brain processed what had just been said. Her good mother stood up, holding her throat and walked to stand beside Lord Corbray.

It all made sense now. Lord Lyn Corbray and Lysa Arryn had conspired together to let the Lannister and Tyrell forces into the Eyrie. But it was their home too that would be sacked and destroyed.

_Why would they betray me?_ _They wouldn't unless someone had promised them protection. Tywin Lannister? No Lysa wouldn't have the balls to directly negotiate with him. No her only friend in King's Landing was Petyr Baelish. So Littlefinger had promised her protection from Tywin Lannister if she betrayed me. Did Litterfinger promise her something to murder my father as well?_

"Guards kill Lord Lyn now," Kenna yelled as she regained her senses.

The guards that had held Kenna back a few moments ago hesitated to heed the command of a woman that they had just seen try to strangle her own good mother. That indecision on their part was all Lord Lyn Corbray needed to bury his valerian steel blade, Lady Forlorn into one guards stomach and then viciously slice the others head off.

"I am afraid your reign over the Vale is over your Grace," Lord Lynn said as he gave a mock bow before finishing off the still living Arryn solider who was desperately trying to keep his intestines from spilling out his gut.

Kenna didn't acknowledge Lord Corbray as he took a hold of her, she just kept staring intensely at Lysa Arryn. The wild look in her eyes revealed her intensions just as clearly as if she had spoken the words.

_If it's the last thing I do, I am going to kill you, dear good mother._

Lysa Arryn's fear was clear as she took a step away from the captured Queen and fought to take her eyes away from her murderous good daughter's face.

The trance between the two woman was broken by the sound of the incoming Lannister and Tyrell soldiers making their way to the High Hall. The sound of their marching echoed around the High Hall.

There was no escape now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> R.I.P
> 
> Ser Bryden Tully 'The Blackfish' (Sword through the gut)
> 
> Killed by Ser Loras in single combat defending the Eyrie after challenging the young knight to a duel during the Battle for the Sky (what I am calling the battle that happened in this chapter)
> 
> Lord Yohn Royce (Killed off screen?) ;P
> 
> Killed by a young Lannister soldier who got a lucky blow as Lord Royce defended the Bloody Gate ….. Does anyone believe that?


	17. The Dangerous Game

* * *

_A few seconds later …_

**The Eyrie, under sieged Seat of power of House Arryn in the Vale**

* * *

The Lannister and Tyrell soldiers filtered into the High Hall of the Eyrie as quickly as the new rays of the morning sun filled the room but Kenna was oblivious as her focus rested on Lysa Arryn. The woman who had murdered her father. She only stood a few paces away.

_I am going to kill that traitorous bitch_, Kenna thought wildly.

Kenna smashed the back of her head against Corbray's face, breaking his nose and his hold on her as his hands flew to his bleeding nose. Kenna charged at Lysa, intending to finish what she had started moments ago when a sword stopped her in her tracks. To avoid the sharp edge that had entered her tunnel vision she slipped to the floor landing on her back. Before she had the time to scramble to her feet, the point of the sword rested just under her chin.

The owner of that sword was Tywin Lannister.

He looked down at her as if he was deciding if killing her would be worth dirtying his sword. The Lannister and Tyrell men stopped in their tracks to watch as the Old Lion decide what to do with the bird he had caught in his jaws. The point of the sword allowed no movement on Kenna's behalf. She could already feel a trickle of warm blood rolling down her neck. She dared not close her eyes or look away from the man towering over her. Any second could be her last. She had gone to war against Tywin Lannister, taken his childhood home and rebelled against the crown. She wasn't expecting to live beyond the end of the day.

Lord Tywin's deep voice filled the room, "Lady Kenna, what a pleasure it is to see you again." There was something cold in Tywin's eyes, something predatory as he looked down on Kenna.

Kenna dared not reply in case her throat came into contact with Tywin's sword but the lack of 'your Grace' was apparent to everyone in the room.

"Cat got your tongue?" Tywin said, his eyes gleaming like a lion's.

_Bastard_, thought Kenna as she continued to glare recklessly back at Tywin and tried to ignore the sword point at her throat.

After a second silent response Tywin decided his point had been made, _Kenna Arryn was no longer in control at the Eyrie,_ and retracted his sword so that Kenna could rise from her position on the floor.

As Kenna slowly rose from the floor Tywin Lannister's attention went from her face to the golden lion pendant that had wriggled free from under her clothes to be on full display before her chest. Tywin saw this and his eyes narrowed.

"Where did you get that?" he demanded.

Kenna held a hand to her throat wiping away the blood as she took a few steps away from Tywin before answering in an insolent voice, "From a drawer in your study desk at Casterly Rock. I had intended to ask you about it," she looked around at the crowd of Lannister soldiers that blocked all the exits from the High Hall, "under more favourable circumstances."

Tywin raised his sword again and backed Kenna into the wall below the weirwood chair.

Kenna was certain this was how she would die, with Tywin Lannister running her through with his sword as her back touched the wall. But his sword wandered from her stomach to her neck and scooped the golden lion pendant from her throat so that is slide down his sword, past the hilt and into his open hand.

Tywin looked profoundly at the pendant in his hand, his sword was no more than a metre away from Kenna, still a threat to her.

_What does that pendant mean to him,_ wondered Kenna.

"Take her to the sky cells, make sure she has a cell all to herself," Tywin ordered as he kept his gaze on the shiny piece of metal resting between his fingers.

As the Lannister men started to drag her away to the sky cells by her arms she shouted to Lysa Arryn, "You think the Lannisters will stop me from killing you. I won't stop until your head graces my desk. I will avenge my father's murder."

Tywin Lannister watched this exchange with amusement and made a mental note to investigate Kenna's words at a later date. The deposed Queen's promises of vengeance on her good mother followed her all the way to the skycells, bouncing off the walls as she went.

Tywin turned to address Lysa Arryn who was rubbing her bruised throat, standing next to a bloodied Lord Corbray. "We have matters to discuss."

"Yes we do," a voice came from behind the Lion Lord.

Tywin recognised that voice and turned to the source. "Ah Baelish, I am starting to think that you like following behind me. I thought you would have remained at the backend of the armies until we had secured the Eyrie completely."

"Love makes you do illogical things," Lord Baelish said while flashing Lysa a beaming smile.

_Morel like greed makes you take risks, _Tywin thought while mentally recoiling at the reaction of adoration Lysa was giving to Littlefingers entrance.

* * *

_Later that evening …_

**Hallway leading to the Sky cells, in the basement of the Eyrie**

* * *

Tywin walked through the halls of the Sky cells. For a place that was trying to rival Casterly Rock it failed to capture the opulence that flourished at Casterly Rock and instead settled for neat practicality. A few minutes ago he had been informed that Lord Royce wanted to speak to him.

In truth he had been happy for the excuse to leave the wedding celebrations of Lord Baelish and Lady Lysa. He had never enjoyed such events. He stepped through the open cell door to see an imprisoned Lord Royce standing in the middle of the cell. His clothes were covered in mud and blood but he appeared uninjured. They were the same height but Lord Royce was clearly much stockier than Tywin, Tywin maintained his distance from the larger man.

"You asked to see me," Tywin said nonchalantly.

Lord Royce turn his stiff body to face Lord Tywin, "Yes, as the commander of the defeated army I ask for your mercy with the rest of the captured men."

"As long as they swear fealty to the new Warden of the East, Lord Baelish they will be allowed to keep their heads."

The distaste for Lord Baelish's new position showed on Lord Royce's face but he nodded at Tywin's words.

"Lady Kenna is another matter entirely though," Tywin said as he eyed the other Lord, aware of his fatherly feelings towards Kenna. "She rebelled against her King, my grandson in favour of a traitor. She led the Arryn army on a path of destruction through the Westerlands. She declared herself Queen of the Mountain and Vale in the very halls of Casterly Rock."

_So she is still alive,_ Royce deduced._ Thank the Gods._

"She is no threat to you anymore. You have destroyed the Arryn army and installed Lord Baelish on the Weirwood chair. Lord Robin will grow into a feeble leader led by his mother and Lord Baelish. The threat from the East has ended. Let Kenna live, you can imprison her in King's Landing or Casterly Rock but let her live," Lord Royce said in an exhausted voice.

Tywin remained still as he spoke in an authoritative tone, "She still has the people of the Vale's love and not all Vale Lords will be swayed by Baelish's deep pockets. When they get tired of Petyr Baelish they will seek to restore Kenna to her former position and ally with the North again. The Seven Kingdoms will be at war again in a few years' time if I let her live."

Lord Royce placed his hands behind his back. "That is a possible path if you let her live but it is a certainty that if you kill her the smallfolk and the Lords of the Vale will rebel again in her honour. She is the Pride of the Vale. If she falls we will never stop trying to avenge her. Lord Baelish can't buy everyone off. The Vale will descend into chaos upon her death."

Tywin acknowledged the possible truth in what Lord Royce had said, "What do you suggest instead then?"

Lord Royce took a breath before continuing, "Keep her alive and if the Vale starts to get unruly, threaten to kill her."

Tywin raised his voice as he caught Lord Royce's eyes, "I will not let the insult of Casterly Rock's capture and Kenna's declaration of independence go unanswered."

_He would rather the Seven Kingdoms fall back into war than his precious family name be associated with the concept of mercy or he probably thinks that is showing weakness,_ Royce realised.

Lord Royce had one last card to play, "Blame it all on me then."

Tywin gave his full attention to Lord Royce, "Do go on."

"I was the one that suggested we capture Casterly Rock, and I was the one that declared her Queen of the Mountain and Vale. She didn't even want to be a Queen, and after our parlay at Harrenhal she was shaken by your words. I advocated to take Casterly Rock so she wouldn't be afraid of you. Take your power, your money and your house seat and there is nothing left to be afraid off. I wanted to show her you were just a man to be defeated, not to be feared."

Tywin appraised the beaten down Lord before him with new found respect and paced in the cell mulling the idea over in his head. After walking the length of the cell a few times he turned to Lord Royce who had remained still, "How noble of you, falling on your sword so your Lady can live."

"Frame me as the controlling ambitious Lord who would rule through the naïve and weak woman leader," Lord Royce said. "It should be easy enough to peddle at Court and with the smallfolk."

Tywin ran a hand through his beard thinking. What Lord Royce proposed would work. Lady Kenna's life could be the very thing to control the Vale with and if Lord Baelish's ambition got the better of him she could be installed once again as the leader of the Vale under Tywin's thumb. It was well known the love Kenna had for her mute sister so as long as Tywin had Alyssa, he also had control over Kenna. Tywin intended to make Alyssa the Lady of Casterly Rock once they reached King's Landing and thereby secure Jamie a highborn wife that could produce heirs for House Lannister and possibly House Arryn. Tywin could also avoid looking weak by executing Lord Royce in Kenna's place and frame him as the true mastermind behind the Arryn rebellion.

"What life do you envision awaits Lady Kenna when she is my prisoner?" Tywin asked.

"One where she is still breathing." Lord Royce voice was calm and measured. "The Vale will stay docile as long as you make it clear that her life is at stake if the Vale Lords were to rebel."

"I will consider what you have said Lord Royce, but are you prepared to die for her."

Lord Royce replied without hesitation, "Yes."

Tywin gave Lord Royce a little nod before exiting the cell wondering how Kenna had inspired such loyalty in the man.

Tywin started walking in the direction of Kenna's cell intending to figure that very thing out.

* * *

_A few minutes later …_

**Lady Kenna's Sky cells, in the basement of the Eyrie**

* * *

Kenna sat on the cliff face her feet dangling over the edge looking across the Kingdom of the Vale. It was beautiful especially as the sun was setting, casting magnificent shadows across the landscape below while the mountains pierced the cloud giving the impression that the sky and the earth were locked in an eternal battle._ I am going to miss these views,_ Kenna thought sadly to herself. There were many winners of wars still alive, not many losers and Kenna had definitely lost this war. She was under no illusion that this might be the last sunset she ever got to see.

_Maybe I could climb down?_ She dismissed this idea as soon as it had come into her head no one had ever escaped the sky cells by climbing the cliff side of the Eyrie, and she was not the prime candidate to be the first to achieve such a feat.

Kenna flinched slightly as the door to her cell banged open with a Lannister guard carrying a cyvasse table and two chairs. Kenna's eyed the guard confused as to why he had brought the strategy board game into her cell. Her confusion didn't last long as Tywin Lannister strode into her cell. He eyed her precarious position on the verge of her cell.

"Lady Kenna, won't you join me? I get bored beating myself."

Kenna smiled to herself despite her circumstances as her mind recalled her saying something similar to Tywin all those years ago during Robert's ten-year anniversary feast.

"It is nice to know that my first impression was a memorable one, my Lord."

"All your subsequent impressions have also been memorable," Tywin said in a neutral tone, not indicating if memorable meant good or bad.

Kenna pulled her dangling feet up and pushed herself to her feet. She walked over to the cyvasse table and sat in one of the chairs. Tywin who had a hand on the other chair watched Kenna sit down and then sat down himself as the Lannister guard who had brought the cyvasse table in started setting up the pieces.

_Can he not be bothered to set the pieces up or is this a display of power,_ wondered Kenna. She settled on it being the latter.

Tywin just sat in silence, observing Kenna who in turn tried to match his stare. The only sound in the cell was the tapping of the pieces being placed on the board and the occasional gush of wind that swept past the open cell. Once the Lannister guard had set up the table he bowed and left the cell but didn't shut the door as he left. Kenna could see more guards just beyond the entrance to her cell. No doubt stationed there in case she made a futile attempt to throw Lord Tywin out of the cell. They needn't worry, Kenna doubted she had the physical strength to even move Tywin Lannister let alone be able to push him off the mountain. He maybe an old man but Kenna's head only just reached his shoulders and he wasn't an old Lord wasting away in his last days.

"Is there a celebration somewhere that you are avoiding or was defeating me on the battle field not enough, you also want to remind me that you can best me at cyvasse as well," Kenna enquired.

"You assume I will win?" Tywin said observing the disheartened demeanour of the defeated Queen in front of him.

_Is that what losing a war does to someone, takes their heart?_ mused Tywin. He didn't know since he had never lost a war.

"I assume you never start a game or battle you haven't won already in your mind," Kenna replied inspecting the board instead of facing the Old Lion's unwavering glare. She hadn't the energy to maintain the façade she was in control or had a plan. She wasn't and she didn't.

Tywin tilted his head to the side, "Mmm, I want to see how much you have improved since we last played."

_Not enough to have defeated you on the field of strategy clearly, what else matters at this point?_ Kenna thought despondently.

Kenna got the feeling that this cyvasse game was much more than Tywin testing her cyasse skills but she played along, moving the first piece.

A few minutes into the game Kenna claimed the first casualty as she moved her light horse piece to take one of Tywin's crossbowmen pieces. Instead of setting the ivory piece aside she flung it out of the cell into the night's fresh air. This was Kenna's last game of cyvasse win or lose, no need to retain the pieces in her eyes.

Tywin raised an eyebrow but when he captured one of Kenna's rabble pieces it too plummeted down the side of the Eyrie.

Halfway into the game, they were evenly matched but Kenna wasn't a fool she knew it was only a matter of time before Tywin gained the upper hand and slowly dismantle her pieces one by one. She decided to try to distract him.

"You didn't answer my question, my Lord," Kenna pried.

"What question was that?" Tywin asked while moving his dragon piece into an offensive position.

"What celebration are you hiding from?" Kenna repeated as she took a moment to consider her defensive structure on the board.

"I am not hiding, I just have already done my part," Tywin responded watching her eyes scan the board for any weaknesses in his set up.

"And what was that?" Kenna inquired her eyes still probing for a crack in Tywin's defence.

Tywin waited for Kenna to touch one of her pieces. "Giving away the bride of course."

Kenna hand hovered over the board with the piece in her fingers as her eyes met Tywin's. An image of Alyssa flashed through her head.

Kenna blinked slowly before asking, "Who was the bride?"

"Your good mother, she married Petyr Baelish a few hours ago. He will be the new Warden of the East until your brother becomes of age," Tywin responded in a disinterested tone.

Kenna digested this information as she placed her elephant piece down.

"How is my sister?" Kenna asked trying to keep the desperation in her heart from seeping into her voice.

Instead of answering her Tywin leaned over the board and Kenna swore she saw her pieces shrink under the Old Lion's scrutiny.

"Where did you send the Arryn armada and how many men where on the ships?" Tywin asked in a serious tone as he calculated the risks on the board.

Kenna kept her gaze on the board. "If you win my Lord, I might tell you."

"You might as well tell me now then," he said, implying that he had already won the game.

Kenna sent him a dirty look, "It is not over until the other player gives up or their last piece is taken."

Tywin's lips twitched, "Very well my Lady. It seems surrendering and submitting isn't a concept you have been taught yet but since your army has been smashed, these are your only pieces left to move."

"My men fought with bravery and honour," Kenna said as Tywin touched his dragon piece. "They are heroes and they may not have lived long in years, but they will live forever in the stories of the Vale."

Tywin scoffed, "The hero's sacrifice becomes just another story for the masses to sing over, nothing more." He captured one of Kenna's catapult pieces in an unexpected move.

_He is distracting me,_ Kenna realised. Her own strategy had been used against her. _I need to focus._

"It is a shame your men's honour and bravery were not enough to win the battle for you. You must not have prayed enough to the Gods."

"War does not determine who is right, my Lord. Only who is left," Kenna said sharply while throwing one of Tywin's pieces into the pitch blackness of the night.

Kenna and Tywin were coming to the endgame now where they both only had a few pieces left on the board. The next couple of moves would decide the winner and Kenna desperately wanted to win against Tywin Lannister. She may have lost the war but she will be damned if she let him win again even at a board game. The time between each player touching their pieces had grown with each turn. Kenna was sure that the night was now old but she didn't feel tired as her brain tried to out think and overcome Tywin's board strategy.

Suddenly there was a soft cough which broke Kenna's and Tywin's concentration. The displeasure was obvious on Tywin's face as he turned to address the source of the noise. Kenna looked beyond Tywin to the doorway. Qyburn stood there wringing his hands. This was not a good sign.

"Your Grace," Tywin shot him a hard stare, "um I mean my Lady, I tried my best, but your sister .. she couldn't fight the poison off. It burned through her and she died a few minutes ago. I am sorry, my Lady. I tried everything but ... it wasn't enough."

Kenna sat back in her chair her hands covered her mouth as her eyes fixated on the centre of the board. She was in a state of shock, just focusing on the beating of her heart as she fought to maintain her self-control.

_This changes things_, Tywin thought. Alyssa had been the lynchpin in his grand scheme for the Vale and his own house's future. New plans would have to be made. Tywin signalled for Qyburn to leave and leaned back in his own chair simply content to watch the emotions flitter across Kenna's face.

* * *

Kenna fought with the overwhelming grief that swelled in her heart._ No, Alyssa wasn't supposed to die. I was the one that Lysa wanted dead, not her. I was the one that was supposed to end up in Winterfell and the Sea Tower. I am supposed to be dead not her._

Suddenly the emotion couldn't be contained. She gripped the cyvasse board and with all her strength she hurled it over the cells edge into the midnight air. The remaining pieces fell from the board and bounced around the cell's rocky floor. Kenna found herself on the edge of her cell staring below into the Vale. A second later she felt Tywin's presence behind her as an iron like arm snaked its way around her waist, pining her to him.

She felt the Old Lion's hot breath on her neck as he spoke clearly into Kenna's ear. "Don't do anything foolish girl."

He clearly thought Kenna's intention was to jump. If she was going to take her own life she would have done it the moment she had been shoved into this cell. No she just needed space to grief which the Old Lion wasn't giving her.

"I am not going to throw myself off this bloody mountain in despair Lord Tywin," Kenna replied as calmly as she could manage as tears started to fall from her cheek.

_Not that is matters anyway, you are probably going to have me executed in the morning,_ fumed Kenna trying to redirect some of her grief into anger at the man currently holding her in place.

Tywin's arm did not move and his head remained near her ear. Kenna's hands went to try to prise his arm away but he just looped his other arm around her so she gave up trying to free herself, letting her arms just hang from her body as she closed her eyes to mourn her sister's passing.

Tywin kept a hold of Kenna as she drifted away into her own mind. He too needed to think. How was he going to maintain control of the Eyrie now? He couldn't let Petyr Baelish have free reign over the Vale.

An ambitious man was useful as he strived to earn his place but once the place was earned they never seemed to stop. Master of Coin wasn't enough, Lord of Harrenhal wasn't enough and neither would Warden of the East be enough suspected Tywin. Lord Baelish would need to be handled. The sooner the better.

Tywin suspected that the key to Lord Baelish's downfall currently rested in his arms. He just had to figure out how to use her.

* * *

Kenna and Alyssa had been brought into this world together with Kenna being born a minute later than Alyssa. The moment of their birth had set the trend for their childhood. Where Alyssa went Kenna would follow. Whether it be climbing trees, learning the etiquette of the court, riding horses or dancing with Ned in the Eyrie or with Robert and Renly in King's Landing they had done everything together. Until Alyssa had left for Winterfell.

Although very different characters both twins had been confident and strong willed as children in their own unique way. Alyssa had been charismatic, witty and the more adventurous one of the twins reflecting her mother's traits while Kenna had been quiet and studious preferring to listen instead of talk, and observe the world around her, like her father. The only thing that brought a young Kenna out of her thoughtful silence was her sister's pestering and wit.

However, the kidnapping of Alyssa had shattered Kenna's world and forced her to adapt and lead. She could no longer remain in her idyllic quiet world and hide amongst books and dances. It had lit a fire in Kenna. Her sister had been in trouble. She had to act not simply observe and note. She had to save her twin. The only person that had constantly understood her erudite nature during their childhood.

Her first act after the news of Alyssa's kidnapping had been to charge into Winterfell's war chamber and demand a swift response to the Greyjoy's incursion. Ned and Benjen had been so surprised by the outburst from the usually calm young lady and the clear change in temperament they struggled to find the words to respond at first. They struggled to find their voices again when she demanded she accompanying the Northern army to Pyke. Kenna ignored their eventual pleas and sat down at the Northern Lord's table like she belonged there. She had found her voice and it wasn't going to be silent again until she was buried in the ground.

* * *

Kenna pulled herself from her childhood memories and opened her eyes when she felt hands grip her shoulders and pull her back from the edge of the cell and Lord Tywin's arms. Tywin's guards held her in the centre of the cell awaiting Tywin's instructions.

"Take her to her chambers, let only her handmaidens in," Tywin instructed them as he watched Kenna who was clearly shaken and distraught despite her calm words.

The guards roughly guided Kenna through the Eyrie halls, leaving Tywin standing amongst broken cyvasse pieces in the sky cell to reflect on the past few days' events. He clasped his hands behind his back and stared up to the moon and stars that filled the night sky.

The journey from the sky cells to her chambers was a blur to Kenna. The slam of the door behind her alerted her that she had reached her chambers and it felt good to be back somewhere familiar to her. She eyed her bed and curled up under the blankets wishing that sleep would come instantly not wanting to feel the overwhelming anguish that coursed through her at the loss of her sister.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> R.I.P
> 
> Alyssa Arryn (poisoned by Tears of Lys)
> 
> Killed by Lysa Arryn in an attempt to clear the line of succession for her son, Robin Arryn. Qyburn attempted to save her but she had consumed too much of the poison and Qyburn gave most of the antidote he had to Kenna.
> 
> I am sorry guys but her death was necessary for the story to move forward. This will be explained in the next chapter. Feel free to PM if you need emotional support in this trying time.


	18. A Kraken's Promise and the Lion's Price

* * *

_The next morning ….._

**Chamber in the Eyrie, Seat of power of House Arryn (Baelish) in the Vale**

* * *

Qyburn stood over the dead body of Alyssa Arryn. Her cold face was calm and peaceful. It portrayed none of the terror and pain she had been in only a few hours ago. To die to Tears of the Lys was an excruciating death and even though Qyburn had now seen more of Alyssa in death than in life he wished that he had been able to save her. No one deserved that type of death. Qyburn regretted having to be the one to inform Kenna of her sister's death. He had known how much Kenna cared for her mute sister.

The differences between the twins fascinated Qyburn. How two identical humans, born on the same day and had the same upbringing could change so drastically from each other due to events and experiences piqued his curiosity. Yes, their personalities were different but even their physical characteristics were now divergent. Alyssa's skin was pale and gaunt whereas Kenna's was lightly tanned from her time marching with the army. Alyssa's eyes were slightly sunken into her face while her limbs were fragile and thin. Kenna was by no means muscular but she had shape to her body and an energetic way of moving. Even though they had been the same height Kenna had filled the room with her presence while Alyssa could easily slip through a room of people like a ghost unnoticed.

Qyburn sighed. Maybe if he had decided to join with the Stark party he wouldn't be in his current predicament with his future unknown, again at the mercy of some Lord. He glanced again at Alyssa's body. But if he had Kenna probably would have been lying right next to her sister.

Qyburn started to remove Alyssa's clothes. He had been instructed to prepare the body for the funeral and he wanted to start off on the right foot with his new employers.

As soon as he touched Alyssa's dress, he heard a young voice behind him say, "Stop what are you doing?"

Qyburn turned around to see the little boy that had always been in Alyssa's company. _He is light-footed I didn't hear him enter, _thought Qyburn._ What was his name Eron, Aran? Artys. That's it Artys._

"I need to prepare her for her burial and funeral," Qyburn replied calmly observing the puffy and red eyes of the youth stood before him.

"No I won't let you," Artys said childishly as his face threatened to turn into a mess of tears.

Qyburn knelt to his level. "I know this must be distressing for you, I know how close you were to her but this happens to everyone who dies in this world. They must have a funeral. A funeral is like a celebration of the person's life you don't want to stop a celebration of her life do you?" questioned Qyburn.

Artys rubbed his eyes, "No."

Qyburn looked into the young boy's bright blue eyes. They were very familiar. In fact, he had spent the better part of last night trying to calm those eyes and ease their passage into the afterlife. They were Alyssa's eyes. It all clicked for him in that moment. This boy was the bastard son of Alyssa Arryn and Euron Greyjoy. The curly black mop of hair confirmed his Greyjoy blood to Qyburn. No wonder Kenna had ensured that this boy was Alyssa's companion, they had been mother and son.

Suddenly a Lannister solider burst through the door behind Artys and the small boy jumped back towards Qyburn. The solider stepped into the room looking at Artys.

"How long until she is prepared," the solider asked as he pointed at Alyssa's body. "And what is this ruffian doing here?"

"She will be prepared for tomorrow and this boy is my assistant," Qyburn quickly said as he rested a hand on Artys shoulder.

The Lannister solider nodded and left the room. Artys turned around and looked up at Qyburn.

"Assistant?" he questioned.

"Yes I think she would appreciate someone she knew doing this task, don't you?"

Artys just nodded at him still trying to dry his tears.

* * *

_At the same time …_

**In another Chamber in the Eyrie, Seat of Power of House Arryn (Baelish) in the Vale**

* * *

Tywin stood by the window turning the golden lion pendant over in his hands as he watched the falcons dance through the morning air on the backdrop of the Vale mountains. They truly were beautiful gliding through the sky. The death of Alyssa Arryn had necessitated a change in his plans for the future of his house. With Lysa and Baelish ruling the Eyrie and an heir secured in Robin, Jon Arryn's daughters had been valuable marriage matches.

He had initially intended to take both Arryn twins back to King's Landing. Kenna would have been executed for her rebellion as a warning to those that dare challenge the crown. Alyssa would have been married to Jamie who had returned to King's Landing missing a hand but otherwise intact. Thereby securing the Lannister legacy and if the rumours of Robin Arryn's health were to be believed, their children would have secured the Vale as well. Varys had assured him that Alyssa was capable of having children and he had been told she was docile and easy to control. The perfect combination of factors for a noble wife.

Lord Royce had convinced him that keeping Kenna alive was more beneficial than killing her especially if all Kenna's actions could be blamed on Lord Royce. Kenna could be trotted out each time the Vale threatened another rebellion or if Baelish decided to pursue interests that were not aligned with the crowns.

However, Alyssa's death had wrecked that plan. Now there was only one Arryn daughter alive and she was not docile or easy to control. Tywin's mouth twitched, he had always liked a challenge and she had certainly presented a better challenge than most to Lord Tywin. Kenna Arryn was trouble no doubt but Tywin was confident she could be brought to heel.

Tywin stopped turning the golden pendant over in his hand. He had made his decision. Kenna would replace Alyssa as Jamie's future wife and secure the Lannister legacy while Lord Royce would replace Alyssa as the leverage to control Kenna with. The father daughter bond that Lord Royce and Kenna Arryn had would serve to cage them both. There were worse things than death in this life and unfortunately for Lord Royce and Kenna Arryn, Tywin intended for both to understand that fact intimately.

No one captured Casterly Rock and made a fool of Tywin Lannister without repercussions. Lady Kenna Arryn had taken Casterly Rock. Now Casterly Rock would take her as its lady.

* * *

_A few hours later ….._

**Kenna's bedchamber in the Eyrie, Seat of Power of House Arryn (Baelish) in the Vale**

* * *

Kenna had miraculously had a goodnights sleep after passing out exhausted on her bed. Her handmaidens had woken her up a few hours ago and started the process of washing the grime and loss off her. She was wearing her favoured battle garments not a silky dress. If she was going to die today she wanted to die as the Bloody Falcon, the warrior Queen not as Lady Kenna the fair maiden.

Kenna had come to terms with dying. If she died she would be with her mother, her father, Ned, Lord Royce and with her sister. The only thing that kept her wanting to live was her quest to avenge her father's and now sister's murder.

But her fate was not in her own hands anymore. It was in the hands of Tywin Lannister. If only she had figured out that Lysa had poisoned her father not Cersei Lannister. If she had possessed that knowledge earlier she would have played her hand in this war very differently.

Kenna still could not decipher the reason for her father's death, he was an old man and as much as Kenna wanted to deny it his end had been near anyway. Lysa's only possible motive was trying to escape a loveless marriage but she had been married to Jon Arryn for near eighteen years before she killed him so why kill him when she did? It didn't make any sense. Not yet anyway.

Her handmaidens stilled around her and they stopped plaiting her hair. Kenna turned around to see Tywin Lannister standing in her doorway that led to her study. Kenna nodded at her handmaidens and they quickly fled from her bedroom and practically ran around Tywin to escape the room.

Tywin gave her a calculating look then turned around swiftly and walked into Kenna's study, obviously expecting Kenna to follow him.

Kenna clenched her teeth. She didn't want to follow him but what choice did she have? To stay in her bedroom until a Lannister solider dragged her out. Kenna took a moment to compose herself. The next conversation would determine how she would die, she was sure.

* * *

Once Kenna had entered her study she saw Tywin had sat behind her desk and was inspecting the Mountain's skull. There were two guards stationed at the entrance to her chambers on the other side of the room. She slipped into the opposing chair as quietly as possible trying to remain composed in the face of defeat and death. She remembered the conversations she had had in this room with Catelyn and Lysa. Those conversations felt like they had happened so long ago in a different life.

Tywin put the huge skull down on the desk and leaned back in Kenna's chair as if he were about to discuss the weather, not the destiny of their houses.

"My Lady, please accept my condolences for your sister's death-" Tywin started.

"I don't want your condolences," Kenna snapped. Her game plan of being calm and collected in the face of death had already gone out the window.

Tywin tapped the arm of his chair with two fingers in irritation a few times and leaned forwards as he replied in a cold voice, "No, I suppose you blame me in some way."

Kenna felt unsettled discussing her sister's death, she had been prepared to discuss her own not her sister's.

Kenna focused on Euron's skull, "You didn't kill her. You wouldn't have killed her for the same reason I didn't kill your brother or your good nephew at the Rock. It would have been a waste of resources."

"Mmm," Tywin growled his agreement on the point.

"Why was Robb Stark not on the battlefield?" Tywin asked. "Did the Stark boy abandon you? Did he run back to Winterfell with his tail between his legs?"

Kenna couldn't let these insult to Robb's honour go unanswered.

"King Robb returned North at my behest. It would have played right into your hands for him to have died on the battlefield defending the Eyrie against impossible odds."

Tywin leaned back in his chair. "So the King in the North listens to you does he?"

Kenna felt somehow she had given away a piece of information she shouldn't have.

"A King makes his own decision and only heeds advice," Kenna replied trying to dissuade Tywin from the idea that Kenna had any influence over Robb at all.

Tywin nodded slightly at Kenna's words and continued his questioning.

"Why did you try to strangle Lysa Arryn to death?" Tywin asked recalling the words Kenna had yelled while being dragged off to the sky cells.

Kenna hesitated to respond wondering what the truth would get her.

"She betrayed me by letting you waltz through the main gate to the Eyrie. She doomed the Vale and she is too stupid to realise it."

Tywin said nothing waiting for the truth to tumble out the lips of the captured Lady.

Kenna bristled at the imposing silence and after a few seconds conceded the truth, "and because she murdered my father."

Tywin absorbed this piece of information instantly. Lysa Arryn was a weak-willed person much like the late Lord Walder Frey had been and where Walder Frey had Tywin's assurances over the Red Weddings Lysa Arryn must have had someone's assurances when murdering Jon Arryn and Alyssa Arryn. Tywin suspected he knew exactly who had given those assurances to Lysa Arryn and he had just become the Lord of the Eyrie, Defender of the Vale and Warden of the East.

Tywin had a hunch that Lord Baelish would become a problem but he has miscalculated. Lord Baelish was already a problem. He had directly caused the death of one Hand of the King and indirectly the death of another. Tywin speculated that if given another chance Petyr Baelish would be the cause of his death too if left to his own devices.

Tywin looked to the defiant Lady sat across from him. Baelish needed to be handled and Kenna could be some use in the endeavour.

"So you don't think a Lannister killed your father anymore. Why do you think Lysa killed Jon Arryn when she did?" Tywin said aiming to gather as much information as he could.

Kenna rose from her chair and placed both hands on the desk.

"Ask Qyburn what poisoned she used on me and my sister. If it was Tears of Lys then that confirms she is my father's murderer. My father died due to ingesting the Tears of Lys. It is extremely rare and expensive to acquire. Lysa was there the night my father died. It wouldn't have been too difficult to slip it into his drink as he worked. She poisoned my father that night just as she poisoned me and my sister. If you succeed once you'll do it again."

Kenna turned away briefly from Tywin, not wanting to show the emotion that she knew was apparent on her face at the mention of her father and sister's deaths. She lowered herself back into the chair, noting that Tywin had moved from behind the desk to pour two cups of wine.

"As for the question of why she did what she did when she did. I have no idea but if you let me question her I am sure I will find out," Kenna said with a vicious gleam in her eye.

"Was your intention to question her before or after you had strangled her to death?" Tywin said as he handed Kenna a cup of wine.

Kenna bit her tongue to stop the sharp response coming out her mouth as she took the offered cup. She looked down suspiciously at her cup. The last one she had drunk nearly killed her. Tywin's cup hovered around his lips as he watched Kenna nervously handle the cup in her hands. He was waiting to see if Kenna would drink first.

_Fuck you_, thought Kenna as she brought the cup to her lips. _If he wanted me dead, he wouldn't have stopped me from jumping out the sky cell._ Then it dawned on her. _He doesn't want me dead. He wants something from me._

Tywin took a sip from his cup and settled once more into his chair. He rolled the wine around his mouth as he decided on his best course of action.

"I will ask Qyburn about the poison. If it was Tears of Lys I will investigate your accusations further," he said refocused his attention on Kenna.

"Why would you do that?" Kenna asked genuinely surprised the Old Lion was heeding her words.

"Hands of the King in recent history have been dying at an alarming rate, I would like to find out why and avoid a third dubious death."

Kenna nodded at his words. Self-preservation was a powerful motivator. She couldn't help but turn her own thoughts to her own life. Was there much of it left she wondered.

Tywin appraised the battle worn Lady sitting in front of him. She seemed more composed now than at the beginning of the conversation. _Maybe she is finding her heart again_, mused Tywin as he watched her finish her cup of wine. His curiosity started to build.

"If your father had died of natural causes would you have joined the Stark boys war?"

Kenna placed her empty cup on her desk next to Euron's skull and decided to be honest.

"If your mad grandson still had Ned imprisoned in the black cells, yes I would have joined but if you had released Ned I would have bent the knee in a heartbeat. He was like a brother to me, I would have done anything to get him back and so would have Robb," Kenna said in an impassioned voice, wishing what she was describing had actually come to pass.

"Robb, not King Robb?" Tywin remarked.

"My Lady, not your Grace?" Kenna shot back.

"You are no longer the Lady of the Eyrie let alone the Vale's Queen," Tywin said in a grave voice.

"You think the people or the Lords of the Vale will follow my traitorous good mother for long?" Kenna said in an exacerbated tone.

"No," Lord Tywin acknowledged. "But the Lords of the Vale will be more than happy to avoid a war and get paid to do so by Petry Baleslish."

_Perhaps for a time_, Kenna thought darkly.

"Why am I still alive?" she suddenly asked.

_So she is brave enough to ask the question but not mindful enough to deduce the answer,_ contemplated Tywin. _Or maybe she knows the answer but doesn't want to face it._

He decided to give Kenna the answer and get to the crux of the conversation.

"I had planned to have you executed in King's Landing but Lord Royce convinced me otherwise and your sister's death has made your life much more valuable. It can't be thrown away so easily now," Tywin said while sipping his wine.

Seeing the relief on Kenna's face that Lord Royce had survived the battle confirmed that Lord Royce would be a suitable vulnerability to control Kenna with.

"As such I have made arrangements for you to marry my son, Jamie upon our arrival in King's Landing," Tywin said.

Kenna exploded. "I will do no such thing. I won't be your son's wife and there is nothing you can threaten me with, you have taken everything from me already." Kenna calmed herself before continuing, "Your son is Kingsguard and the last person I was forced to marry I killed."

Tywin had anticipated this type of response and had sat unaffected by Kenna's aggressive tone and volume. It was his turn now in this battle of words that they were having. Tywin allowed the silence to stretch out before replying watching how Kenna inhaled and exhaled.

"Joffrey has released my son from his vow," Tywin said and narrowed his eyes at Kenna. "And It's true, you have lost a lot in this war but people always have so much more to lose than they think. For example, if you kill my son I will ensure that Lord Royce will die slowly and painfully. His screams will be heard throughout the Red Keep and you will witness every hurt that is inflicted on him before you too suffer an agonising death."

Kenna swallowed and turned her head from Tywin to look out the window and this was all the indication he needed to know that she would comply with his wishes. But this was the future of his house and his own legacy that he was negotiating, he had to be certain that she would produce an heir, that she would be invested in producing an heir as much as Tywin was himself. Tywin always found that fear of punishment was sufficient to motivate a person well enough but the promise of reward always produced better results. It was just a case of figuring out what people prized the most. In Kenna's case Tywin thought her price was fairly obvious.

"Upon the birth of your first male son by Jamie I will give you want you have wanted from the very first moment you went to war. I will give you your father's murderers. I will give you Lord Baelish and Lysa Arryn's heads."

Kenna's frown indicated that she thought she had misheard him. Her eyes focused on Tywin's face trying to judge how serious he was. It was an impossible task; his facial expression was unreadable.

"You have just placed them on the weirwood chair and now you seek to remove them," scoffed Kenna.

"Yes, I gave them the Eyrie which means I can just as easily take it away," Tywin replied.

"And how would you do that?" Kenna questioned out loud. _And why would I trust you?_

"Once you have birthed a healthy boy, I will call them to King's Landing to face trial for Jon Arryn's death."

"Oh is Litterfinger just going to offer himself up to you?" Kenna said in a mocking tone. "He would wriggle his way out of any trial."

"It is well known Lysa's predisposition to Lord Baelish, he talked about it often enough at court, and since Jon Arryn's death both have gotten what they wanted. Lysa got Lord Baelish as her husband and Baelish got control of the Vale. I would say they both had ample motive to conspire to kill your father," Tywin said firmly.

"Even if you could convince the judges of that and stump up enough money to out bribe Littlefinger we both know he would never set foot in King's Landing for a trial," Kenna said doubtfully.

"I won't call him to King's Landing for a trial. There are many events each year in King's Landing that might require a man of Lord Baelish's standing to attend."

Kenna pondered Tywin's plan. _He is going to marry me to his son regardless of what I say. I might as well get his word that he will give me Lysa and Littlefinger in return._ It was her only option. Her only decision was how to say yes.

"My Lord you once promised me that you would make me regret my involvement in the War of the Five King's and I do wholeheartedly. The price has been too great," Kenna said as she remembered all those she had lost so far. "I would have you promise to me now that if I give birth to a Lannister heir you will ensure the deaths of Lysa and Littlefinger. That you will pay your debt."

Tywin smirked at the use of his house's unofficial words. "I promise my Lady, and I always keep my promises and pay my debts."

Kenna nodded slightly at his words. "Where will you keep Lord Royce?"

"In the Black cells, close enough for you to visit him should you wish to," assured Tywin.

_Close enough to dangle his life in front of me you mean,_ Kenna surmised.

"What is your decision?" Tywin asked.

Kenna closed her eyes to ignore the probing look of the Old Lion and listened to the faint sound of the wind swirl around the Eyrie. She would not be rushed.

Tywin took this opportunity to really observe Kenna. She sat poised on the chair with her head held high despite her circumstances. Her loosely plaited dark brown hair hung down on one shoulder. Tywin found it amusing that Kenna had worn battle garments to their meeting, although he acknowledged he sometimes put as much effort into planning meetings and conversations as he did battle plans and sieges. Some battles are fought with swords and some are fought with words. Kenna was gently moving her fingers in circles on the arms of her chair, as she mulled over her decision.

Tywin didn't mind waiting for her decision because he knew there was only one outcome to be reached and it was the one he wanted. Tywin's will was like time, inevitable and unavoidable. Your only choice was to bend or break once caught in his jaws.

Kenna's fingers stopped their circular motions, her shoulders lost their tension and her eyes opened and found Tywin's.

"I agree, my Lord. I agree to marry your son and give you an heir to Casterly Rock if you ensure the deaths of Lysa and Littlefinger in return." Her voice was tight but firm as she agreed to Tywin Lannister's terms.

_But if I kill them first then all bets are off my Lord,_ Kenna thought.

Tywin rose from the chair and walked around the desk. In his hand rested the golden lion pendant Kenna had taken from his desk in Casterly Rock all those months ago.

"This pendant has been in my family since the Age of Heros, it has always been worn by the Lady of the Rock. The Gods must have been playing with fate on the day you stole it from my desk. They must have known that you were destined to be Lady of Casterly Rock."

Kenna, understanding what Tywin wanted, stood from her chair and turned her back on Tywin. He in turn placed the golden lion pendant around her neck. It felt less like a necklace and more like a chain to Kenna in that moment.

Tywin sat on the edge of the desk as Kenna sat again in the chair opposite the desk.

"Now that you will become my god-daughter tell me where you sent your ships and men." Tywin asked.

"You didn't win the game of cyvasse if I remember correctly so I will have to refuse to answer," Kenna said smugly.

Tywin couldn't keep the annoyed expression of his face as he took a step away from the desk to tower over his would-be good daughter.

_You may have me but you aren't going to have it all your own way, good father,_ Kenna defiantly thought.

"No I didn't, you threw the board off the mountain so I would argue that you conceded" Tywin said tersely.

"I sent one thousand men to Stannis," lied Kenna.

Tywin's mouth dipped in displeasure, "Don't lie to me, some of your less loyal Lords already informed me you sent about three thousand men with your ships to Dragonstone as well as a considerable amount of gold. Gold you stole from Casterly Rock."

"Why ask questions you already know the answers to?" Kenna asked clasping her hands together in her lap.

"To find out the honesty of the answerer," Tywin replied.

Kenna remained silent. _He was testing me, _she realised. Kenna may have agreed to marry a Lannister but she would always remain an Arryn as she was born and that is where her true loyalties would always reside.

Tywin crossed back around the desk with an unreadable expression on his face.

"Your sister's funeral is tomorrow," Tywin said. "I will let you attend if you officially declare the Vale part of the Seven Kingdoms again and bend the knee to me as Hand of the King."

"Lord Baelish is the Warden of the East now, it is his duty as such to do that," Kenna said currishly.

"We both know that the majority of Valemen will never accept Petyr Baelish as their overlord and still listen to you," Tywin said looking at Kenna. "You will convince that faction that the war is over, the Vale lost and it is now time to put down their swords and tend to their crops instead. You will renounce the Vale's claim to independence and your own to the weirwood chair, publically at your sister's funeral."

Each word Tywin had uttered caused Kenna to grip harder onto the arms of the chair. Her knuckles had gone white with the pressure she exerted. She was a proud woman. To renounce your birth right was a hard thing to do especially at the funeral of your sister with her murderers watching you behind a mask of false pleasantries.

Kenna took in a long breath and simply nodded from her sitting position, knowing she had no choice if she wanted to say goodbye to her sister before the Gods. And she had to see her sister one last time to apologise for her failures, and to promise to protect the remaining family she had left.

With Tywin Lannister having got what he wanted the conversation was over. He briskly stood up and marched out the room. The guards at the doorway remained, ever watchful.

Kenna's mind wandered back to Euron Greyjoy's last words as her gaze remained on where the Old Lion had been sitting opposite her.

_Don't worry someday someone will break you too._ Euron's words echoed in the back of her mind.

_Was Tywin Lannister that someone? _Kenna abruptly stood up and slammed her hands on the desk in front of her causing the Lannister guards behind her to exchange glances and take a few steps towards her._ No, that someone doesn't exist,_ Kenna told herself.

She was defeated and would bend but she was alive and would come again. _I will die before I break,_ Kenna promised herself.

She touched the insides of her wrists to assure herself that her knives were still in place. She had a feeling that they would be needed in King's Landing.


	19. A Sister's Goodbye

* * *

_The next day …_

**Sept of the Eyrie, Seat of Power of House Arryn (Baelish) in the Vale**

* * *

Kenna sat on the front bench in the sept with Tywin Lannister on her left and Ser Kevan on her right with her sister's body resting only a few metres away. Behind her sat the triumphant nobles of the Reach and Westerlands. At the back of the hall sat the defeated Vale nobles that had already bent the knee to Tywin and therefore Joffrey. She struggled to hear what the high septon was saying despite being only a few metre away from the man. She didn't really care though.

Her attention was firmly centred on her sister while the gathered nobilities' attention in turn was focused on her. The only thing that turned the curious eyes away from her was the stone cold glare Tywin occasionally swept the room with. Tywin had informed her as they had entered the sept that the official story for Alyssa's death was that Kenna and Alyssa had tried to commit suicide by poisoning when they discovered the Eyrie would be taken.

They couldn't let the truth get out. That Lysa Arryn, Lady of the Eyrie had stooped so low as to poison her own good children to secure the Eyrie not for her child, but her devious and unworthy lover, Petyr Bealish. That piece of knowledge in the hands of the Vale smallfolk would have guaranteed the new rulers of the Vale a difficult reign. Valemen took the concept of honour seriously. Some would even say it was their defining trait.

"No one will believe this. No one that knows me would ever think I would try to take the cowards way out," Kenna whispered to Lord Lannister while keeping her eyes on her sister's corpse.

Tywin dipped his head towards Kenna, while keeping his eye on the high septon who continued to expound about the virtuous and pious life of Alyssa Arryn.

"Yes I would agree," Tywin replied. "But there aren't many people left alive who really know you is there."

Kenna took this comment as if she had been slapped. All her loved ones seemed to have died around her, protecting her and dying in her name. Kenna looked over at her sister's body as the high septon droned on.

_At least she looks peaceful but_ _the dead always do, _Kenna noted with sadness.

There was a wave of whispers that went through the crowd behind Kenna. She turned to see Lysa and Petry Baelish had entered the sept and seated themselves on the other side of the main aisle parallel to where Kenna and Tywin sat.

Turning up to a funeral late was disrespectful but turning up the funeral of the person you had murdered late or at all was insulting and the fact Kenna couldn't do anything about it made her blood boil. She touched the insides of her wrists to assure herself that her hidden blades where still there.

Tywin placed a hand on Kenna's arm. It was a warning not to cause a scene or do anything foolish. Kenna tore her eyes away from the murderous couple and focused on the high septon's dull tone. Kenna let the ceremony drift by her as she mourned her sister in her own way, reliving the happy memories of their childhoods.

When the high septon asked for those to pay their respects Tywin stood from the bench and stepped out into the aisle to allow Kenna to pass by him. It was time for her to swallow her pride.

Kenna stood up and brushed past Tywin. She walked slowly towards her sister's body. She could feel all the eyes trained on her back. As she reached her sister she bent down and kissed Alyssa's forehead then pressed her own forehead against her sister's.

_Please don't let her death be in vain. Help me bring those that have wronged my family to justice. Help me, _Kenna prayed to the Stranger.

Kenna must have been taking too long for Tywin's liking as she felt his hand tug at her shoulder. With considerable effort she straightened up and tore her eyes from her sister to look into Tywin Lannister's cold green eyes.

She clenched and unclenched her fists a few times before nodding slightly at the Lion Lord. Tywin shot Kenna a warning look before he released her shoulder and stepped away from her to stand near the altar where the septon had stood only moments before.

Kenna turned to face the gathered nobility of the Vale, the Westerlands and the Reach. She took in a deep breath and stared into the sea of people, memorising who sneered and took joy in her moment of resignation and renunciation. The image of Lord Lyn Corbray's smug smile and pure expression of glee was particularly etched into her memory.

"I Kenna Arryn Queen of the Mountain and Vale renounce my claim to the weirwood chair and bend the knee to the one true King, Joffrey of House Baratheon and Lannister." Kenna took in another breath. "I proclaim my brother, Robin Arryn as the Lord of the Eyrie, Protector of the Vale and Warden of the East."

There was only silence in response.

Kenna felt a tight grip on her elbow and found the gleaming eyes of Tywin Lannister looking into her own. She had wondered off script. She was supposed to have proclaimed Lord Baelish as the Lord of the Eyrie. The fact she hadn't meant there was more wiggle room for the pro-Kenna Vale nobility to disobey Lord Baelish's orders. But if Kenna wasn't mistaken she sensed that Tywin wasn't too fussed with what she had done and the more she matched Tywin's stare the more she convinced herself that she was right. _He doesn't want Littlefinger to have an easy time ruling the Eyrie, _Kenna realised.

Their thoughtful staring was interrupted when Lord Baelish and Lady Lysa approached them. Both bowed to Tywin and proceeded to pretend they cared a damn about Alyssa, kissing her forehead as Kenna had done.

Kenna touched the insides of her wrists and trained her eyes on Lysa's back as she bent to kiss Alyssa. Kenna visualized how her blades would pierce Lysa's skin. How she could quickly draw one blade across her throat while the other stabbed and twisted itself into her stomach.

But before she could take a step forward and make her vision a reality the iron-like grip on her elbow reminded her of the price that would be paid if she killed Lysa and Littlefinger now and who would pay it. _His screams will be heard throughout the Red Keep, _Tywin's voice echoed in her mind.

Kenna wrestled her more feral thoughts and vanquished them from her mind. She turned from Alyssa's cold body and walked straight down the aisle. Kenna had made her peace with her sister and had done what was demanded of her and renounced her birth right and the Vale's freedom. She wouldn't suffer this display of pity and fake condolences anymore.

She only registered that Tywin had followed her out the sept when she heard his voice come from behind her.

"Well done. You have ensured Baelish's reign will not run smoothly and given the Vale nobles some hope of actually defying him in your brother's name."

"Thank you," Kenna uttered under her breath not quite comfortable receiving a compliment from a person she had done nothing but insult and exchange intense words with over the past few days."

"It is time to leave, I am needed in King's Landing," Tywin said while striding past Kenna and walking through a group of Lannister guards to reach the top of the stairs that led to the courtyard.

As Kenna started to follow Tywin's path she caught the eye of an old foe in those parted Lannister soldiers.

* * *

Before he descended down the stairs Tywin heard Kenna say sweetly, "Ser Daven, you finally got out of your chains I see."

Tywin turned in time to see his good nephew's face darken at those words and in the next instance Kenna was pinned against the stone wall of the Eyrie.

"Why is she not in a cell rotting away like the traitor she is," Ser Daven said while keeping Kenna against the wall.

"Because I am to be the new Lady of the Rock," Kenna said flatly.

"Lies," Ser Daven said.

"Unhand her," Lord Tywin said ignoring the looks their little group was receiving from the nobility exiting the sept. "What she says is true."

"What, you can't be serious. She took the Rock and ravaged the Westerlands," Ser Daven snarled while looking back at Tywin, outrage momentarily clouding the young knight's judgement.

The anger and confusion on Ser Daven's face at Tywin's words morphed into pain and surprise as he received a swift kick to his balls that sent him sputtering to the floor holding his groin.

"You should have listened to your liege lord Ser Daven," Kenna said down to Ser Daven as she side stepped his withering body and walked past the stationary Lord Tywin to descend into the courtyard below.

Lord Tywin signalled for his guards to follow her. He approached his good nephew who remained in pain on the floor with his head resting on the Eyrie's floor. Tywin quickly took a hold of Ser Daven's hair and smashed his head into the floor a few times and once he was satisfied that Ser Daven had received at least a broken nose he dragged the dazed younger man to his unsteady feet and whispered into his ear.

"Next time I give you an order, you will carry it out without complaint or hesitation or it will be the last order you will ever hear. Do you understand?"

"Yes … Yes my Lord," Ser Daven spluttered, nodding incoherently.

"Good," Tywin said as he released his good nephew observing the blood pouring from his broken nose. Tywin turned away from his good nephew to join Lady Kenna in the courtyard. They had a long ride ahead of them and Tywin saw no reason to delay the departure any further.

* * *

Kenna walked out into the sun covered courtyard and spotted Qyburn and Artys loading up a cart with sacks of supplies.

"Is Qyburn accompanying us to King's Landing?" Kenna asked one of the Lannister guards that had followed her down the stairs.

"Yes my Lady, he was the maester that saved Jamie's arm and Tywin wanted to reward him with a position in King's Landing."

"I see," Kenna said while catching Qyburn's eye. She looked to Artys, Qyburn followed her gaze and nodded at her. The message was clear, keep him safe.

Kenna turn around to seek out her horse when she saw Lord Royce being led away by Lannister guards. His hands were tied and he looked exhausted as he was being roughly pushed around by two Lannister guards.

Kenna sprinted towards Lord Royce and flung her arms around him in an emotion filled hug before either of the Lannister guards escorting him knew she was there.

"Yohn," Kenna said in to stomach. "I thought you had fallen on the battlefield."

Lord Royce couldn't return the hug as his hands were tied but his beaming smile on his exhausted face showed his delight at seeing Kenna again.

"It takes more than a few snivelling Lannisters to get me," Lord Royce said in a tired tone. "But I fear I am destined for the executioner's blade."

"That is not your fate," Tywin's voice cut through the courtyard to them as he approached them. The Lannister guards stood to attention as he passed them.

Lord Royce disengaged from the hug and took up a protective stance in front of Kenna as Tywin reached them.

"Once we reach King's Landing you are to be taken to the Black Cells where you will stay indefinitely," Tywin said eyeing the bound Lord.

Lord Royce understood. He was being kept alive to ensure Kenna's cooperation in some matter.

Kenna looked to Lord Royce with wary eyes, "I am to marry the Kingslayer."

Lord Royce looked to Tywin Lannister who simply nodded once to confirm the arrangement. Lord Royce turned back to Kenna and his fallen face portrayed what he thought of that marriage arrangement. He used his tied hands to cup Kenna's face.

"Kenna ….," Lord Royce glanced back at Tywin who was now mounting a white horse, "I wish I could have defeated him, that the Knights of the Vale had been victorious."

Kenna clasped together their hands and whispered to Lord Royce, "It wasn't Tywin Lannister that defeated us. We were betrayed by Lysa at the behest of Littlefinger. They poisoned my father and sister to death. They nearly got me too."

"No, Alyssa is dead?" Lord Royce said with a distraught expression on his face.

_Of course he doesn't know he has been locked in a cell since the Bloody Gate fell,_ Kenna summarised.

"Yes, she is dead," Kenna said with a heavy heart. But she had already said her goodbyes and there was no point revisiting the past. Only the future mattered now.

"What is done is done, we have to survive now until our allies are ready to strike. Stannis will eventually attack King's Landing again with the men and ships I sent him and Robb will recapture Winterfell and rebuild his army. We may be captured Yohn but we are not done playing this game until we can no longer draw breath and I intend for Lysa and Littlefinger to stop breathing before I do."

Lord Royce fixed Kenna with a proud smile. This was the Kenna he had always seen since she was a studious little girl and this was the Kenna that had been declared the Queen over the Mountains. A leader that never stopped fighting for her people or to fulfil her objective. Lord Royce knew that one day Lysa and Littlefinger would fall victim to the wrath of the Bloody Falcon, he just prayed to the Gods that he lived long enough to see it.

Lannister men approached the reunion and separated them, leading Lord Royce away from the courtyard and Kenna to a chestnut mare that stood beside Tywin's white war horse.

"Mi'lady do you need help getting onto your horse," a Lannister solider asked Kenna while offering his hand.

Instead of replying Kenna took a hold of the saddle and pulled herself onto the horse gracefully. _A Falcon, even a wounded one, needs no help rising up._

Once settled on the horse she gathered her reins and looked at the open gate before her with some trepidation. Going through the gate finalised her fall from power and established her new role in the game of thrones. She was no longer an independent Queen but a captured political pawn dancing to the tune of the Lannisters. Beyond the gate was a marriage to the Kingslayer in King's Landing, a place she had promised herself she would only enter when capturing it. Instead she was to be the captured party.

The nay of a horse to her right preceded Lord Lannister voice. "To King's Landing," he said casting his eyes over the mounted Lady.

"To King's Landing," Kenna repeated firmly hiding her inner thoughts and followed Lord Tywin out of the courtyard and onto the High Road.

As she exited the Eyrie she was struck by how many Vale smallfolk lined the high ground surrounding the road to see their disgraced former Queen be taken away. Suddenly the unarmed smallfolk started to silently bow as she passed below them. Then she realised. They weren't here to revel in her defeat, they were here to show her that she was still their Queen. The leader that they would choose.

The Lannister and Tyrell armies eyed the actions of the Vale smallfolk with suspicion but without weapons they were no threat.

Kenna's thoughts returned to her predicament. Her father was still unavenged. Her sister's death was still fresh in her memory. The people responsible for the deaths of her loved ones now ruled the Eyrie in her place. But judging from the reaction of the gathered Valesmen to Kenna's departure, they wouldn't be ruling with the smallfolk's support and the Vale nobility would only put up with so much of Littlefinger's scheming. She just had to survive long enough in King's Landing for the Vale to cry out for her return.

Kenna looked ahead of her at the back of Tywin Lannister. She sensed that the Old Lion wouldn't be the only dangerous animal that she would have to be wary of in King's Landing.

* * *

_A few days later ….._

**Chamber of the Painted Table in Dragonstone, Seat of Power of House Baratheon (Stannis) in the Crownlands**

* * *

Stannis Baratheon stood in the Chamber of the Painted Table looking out over the sea. The waves carried dozens of ships hoisting the sigil of House of Arryn towards him. Last he had heard Kenna Arryn was fending off the Lannisters and Tyrells at the Eyrie. The fact she had sent some of her men and her entire fleet to Stannis told him it was a siege she didn't expect to win. Her loss was Stannis's gain.

It seemed that the Lord of Light had finally delivered what Melisandre had been promising. Ships, men, gold and a solid path to the Iron Throne. But most importantly he had a chance to recover his honour and tarnished reputation from the aftermath of the Battle of Blackwater Bay. Stannis would rather be flayed alive than suffer another defeat like that again.

Ser Davos Seaworth appeared at his side.

"Your Grace, the commander of the Arryn fleet wishes to speak to you. He says he is Lord Gerold Grafton, the Lord of Gulltown in the Vale of Arryn.

Stannis turned to face Ser Davos. "He says he is?"

Ser Davos shrugged, "I can't confirm if he is who he says, just that he has roughly thirty good ships at his back, a few thousand men on-board and he claims he has the gold of Casterly Rock stored in the hulls of his ships that could buy us another army."

"What does he wish to discuss?"

"The invasion of King's Landing."

"Very well, send him in," Stannis said returning his gaze to the docking fleet in front of him.

"Your Grace," Ser Davos said as he bowed and exited the room.

He allowed his lips to curl upwards slightly and a small smile formed on his usually grim face. When he was King he would remember his friends and reward his allies.

* * *

_At the same time …._

**Courtyard in Winterfell, reclaimed Seat of Power of House Stark in the North**

* * *

"Please I beg you, show me mercy. We were like brothers once," Theon Greyjoy shrieked as he was forced down onto the chopping block.

All northern eyes in the courtyard centred on the King in the North.

"Aye we were like brothers, but you threw our bond away for what? Glory? A father that nether knows you or cares for you? No the time for mercy is over," Robb said as he unsheathed his sword and rested in on Theon's neck.

"Any last words?" Robb asked the now openly crying Theon.

"I am sorry," Theon managed to choke out between sobs.

"Your remorse for your actions does me no good. It doesn't bring my brothers or my mother back, it doesn't bring my sister home. It doesn't undo all the damage you have inflicted on the North."

"Your brother's aren't –"

"So you have said but they aren't in Winterfell are they so I can only presume you are trying to trick me again."

"Robb please," Theon begged.

"Do it Robb," Arya yelled from the balcony overlooking the courtyard. The Hound loomed behind her.

Robb took no notice of either his sister's words of Theon's sobs as he lifted his sword and swung it down with all his strength to sever Theon's head from his body. The head rolled to rest between his feet.

Robb looked down at the still terrified face of Theon Greyjoy and tried to block out all the good childhood memories they had shared together.

"Someone take this traitors head and place it at the gates," Robb said before turning away.

Now he had control of Winterfell once more he had a lot of work to undo the damage Theon had inflicted in his absence, the damage that he had caused by misplacing his trust. He had to ready his people for when the southern armies marched north. The threat of winter would shield them from the conflict for now but winters come to an end and eventually the war would too.

Lord Bolton and Lord Umber watched as their King stomped into Winterfell, followed by his sister and the reluctant Hound who had been shadowing the young Stark girl since he had joined the Northern forces.

"Will you send your men to search for the boys?" Lord Umber asked.

"I have already sent my best men. If the boys are alive and fled north my men will find them. I am just not sure if they will be alive when they are found. Winter is coming and they are just little boys," Lord Bolton replied in a sombre voice.

"You are quite the optimist aren't ya," Lord Umber response while slapping Lord Bolton's back.

Lord Bolton rolled his shoulder where Lord Umber had slapped him and was about to respond when a messenger on a horse burst into the courtyard.

Lord Umber practically accosted the messenger when he had dismounted.

"What news?" the lumbering Lord asked.

"The Eyrie has fallen, the Queen over the Mountains has been captured. Lord Baelish rules in the Vale now," the young messenger blurted out.

Lord Umber exchanged a gloomy look with Lord Bolton.

"Our King isn't going to take this news very well."

Lord Bolton shook his head once in agreement. "Let's hope he doesn't do anything foolish."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> R.I.P
> 
> Theon Greyjoy (decapitation by sword of the head from the body)
> 
> Killed by Robb Stark in revenge for his betrayal during the War of the Five Kings, capture of Winterfell and unconfirmed murders of Bran and Rickon Stark. Poor Theon he couldn't decide who his real family where. Robb has no more room in his heart for softness and sloppy leadership decisions


	20. Journey's End

* * *

_Two weeks after the fall of the Eyrie to Lannister and Tyrell forces …._

** _King's Road, within sight of King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms_ **

* * *

Kenna stood atop a hill stroking her tied up mare who was stomping her hooves into the ground.

Kenna gently patted her mare's nose and rubbed her behind the ear. "I know; I smell it too." _Lies, danger, and shit._

"My Lady," a short but stocky man said as he leaned on a nearby tree. "Your horse has had its rest and it is time to move on."

This was Ser Hugh, the shadow that Tywin had given Kenna since they left the Eyrie. Ser Hugh had barely let Kenna out of his sight since he had been entrusted with her safety. No doubt Tywin had informed him something horrible would befall him and his family if he were to lose the future Lady of the Rock or let her escape.

Kenna fidgeted with the reins of her horse. _No use putting off the inevitable, _she thought.

Kenna untied her mare and gracefully mounted her. Ser Hugh did the same with his large grey horse and trotted to be beside Kenna as they re-joined the flow of the army marching towards King's Landing.

Kenna briefly considered leaning over to Ser Hugh and slitting his throat with her hidden blades. Kenna could tell from their past days together he was a genuinely nice man, for being a Lannister vassal but he was currently an obstacle to her freedom. Kenna decided against killing her shadow. Even if she killed this one there were a thousand more between her and any safe haven. Even if she managed to escape Ser Hugh and the surrounding army she wouldn't last long in the wilderness on her own and besides where would she go? All the way to Winterfell? All the way to Robb?

She shook her head. If only that were a journey she could make on her own. If it was, Kenna would have gladly take that option. But her current situation dictated that she had no good options. She simply had to wait as her horse drew her closer and closer to the shit pile of a city that was King's Landing.

Ser Hugh and Kenna merged in with the marching army and normally this would be the point where they indulged in mindless small talk to pass the time of onerous marching and endless roads. But this time was different. Their destination was in sight. Ser Hugh correctly assumed that Kenna was in no mood to talk and didn't engage her in conversation.

Kenna silently thanked him for his astuteness as she looked upon King's Landing. _What a shit hole,_ she thought. _My father died here, Ned died here, even Robert succumbed to the deadly vices of King's Landing. Maybe I will die here too, _Kenna grimly thought as her mare steadily plodded towards King's Landing.

Her gloomy thoughts were interrupted by a group of Lannister men on horses surrounding Kenna and Ser Hugh.

"My Lady, Lord Tywin requests your presence at the front of the army," the lead Lannister solider said.

"Well we can't have him waiting can we," Kenna said before giving her mare a swift kick and cantering past the gathered Lannister soldiers. She wasn't in the lead for long as the large war horses of Ser Hugh and the Lannister men caught up with her and surrounded her while escorting her to the front of the army.

_Killjoys_, Kenna thought. _A girl just wants to have a little bit of fun before she is trapped in King's Landing forever._

It only took a few minutes of hard riding to reach the front of the meandering army. Kenna and her Lannister contingent slowed their horses to a steady trot and made their way to Tywin who was perched on a small hill observing his army pass by him on his great white horse. A few of his household guards surrounded him in a protective stance.

* * *

Tywin appraised his army as it marched past him towards the Northern Dragon Gate of King's Landing. His men looked tired and weary but carried within them the demeanour of victors.

He looked to his left to see the men he had sent a few minutes ago to retrieve Lady Kenna escorting her to him. Although, Tywin noted, it looked more like they were trying to box her in to make sure she didn't outride them and make a break for it.

Once Kenna had reached Tywin she guided her horse to stand beside his. Tywin's great white war horse dwarfed Kenna's chestnut mare but neither Kenna nor her mare displayed any signs of caring.

"My Lord," Kenna said in way of a greeting.

Tywin didn't return the greeting, instead preferring to get to the point.

"Dismount from your mare," he demanded sternly.

Kenna shot him a puzzled glance but did as she had been commanded. Once her feet had touched the floor she took a few steps from her mare towards Tywin's horse and turned to look up at him while one of his guards grabbed the loose reigns of her mare.

"Ah," Kenna expounded as she halted an arms length away from Tywin. "Am I to walk behind your horse, my hands tied together while you drag me through the streets of King's Landing like a beaten dog?" Kenna inquired with a disciplined face giving no indication that she would be bothered by this scenario.

Tywin scoffed at the idea as soon as Kenna said it but he admitted to himself that the image of Lady Kenna being dragged into King's Landing was a tempting one.

_Maybe such a walk of shame would enforce some humility on her_, Tywin pondered but quickly dispelled the idea from his head. There were more pressing issues to deal with than teaching the proud woman in front of him the meaning of humility. She would learn soon enough.

Tywin looked down at Kenna, "That wouldn't be very befitting of the future Lady of the Rock. You will ride with me as we enter the city thereby cementing your place as Jamie's future wife and showing the people of King's Landing that the war is truly behind us."

Tywin extended his hand out to Kenna.

_Is the war behind us,_ o_r has it merely changed to a different type of battlefield_, Kenna wondered as she stared tentatively at Tywin's hand_. _

A battlefield where the weapons were no longer swords and arrows but lies and secrets. Where the currency of war was no longer soldiers but information. Where alliances shifted on the whims of perceived slights, hurt pride and bruised egos. But ultimately war was war. Someone would lose and someone would win. The outcome for failure was the same.

Death.

A mis-step on the battlefield of lies, deception and words would likely lead to the outcome that should have befallen Kenna when she failed to win with swords, soldiers and ships.

Kenna placed her hand in his.

Tywin in one powerful motion pulled Kenna up onto his horse and placed her in front of him on the saddle with his arms encasing her while his hands gripped the reins of his horse.

Kenna was aware of the symbolism that Tywin was creating by having her sit on his horse._ I am to be the captured Queen, a symbol of Tywin Lannisters's trump over the Vale, a beaten dog brought to heel by the mighty lion, _Kenna thought tempestuously. Kenna stared out at the gates of King's Landing as Tywin kicked his horse onwards into a steady trot towards the main army.

The closer they got the more Kenna found herself leaning back in disgust at what King's Landing meant to her. It was simply a place were decency went to die. Kenna's back pressed firmly against Tywin's front as she mentally fought the urge to jump off the horse.

Tywin noted the movement. "Steady," he whispered into her ear from behind. "I don't want to drag you into King's Landing kicking and screaming but I will if you try to escape and attempt to make a fool of me."

_The future Lady of Casterly Rock kicking and screaming? That doesn't sound like something that would happen_, Kenna snidely thought to herself. Then again _Lady Kenna Lannister, Lady of the Rock_ didn't ring true to Kenna either.

* * *

_A hour later …._

**Margaery's chambers, Maegor's Holdfast, Red Keep, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Sansa and Margaery were comparing dresses and jewellery when Loras sauntered into their room with his arms open.

"Sister I am back, where is my hug?" He teased.

"Loras," giggled Margaery as she jumped into Loras's arms."When did you get back?"

"A few hours ago, I have already seen grandmother," Loras said deepening the hug.

"What, I wasn't first on your list," she pouted as she released him from her arms.

"Ah, well you know grandmother always wanting to be the first to know something," Loras remarked with a grin on his face.

"Oh do tell, what did she want to know?" Inquired Margaery.

"That is a rather long list and I fear we would be boring Lady Sansa." Loras turned his attention to Sansa. "Lady Sansa, you have grown even more beautiful since the last time I saw you, I didn't think it was even possible."

Margaery playfully hit her brother on the arm. "You can't say that anymore, even if it is true." Margaery turned to wink at Sansa. "She is a married woman, you know."

"Yes my apologies Lady Lannister," Loras said.

The siblings both missed the shiver that went through Sansa or diplomatically chose to ignore it.

"There is no need to apologise Ser Loras," Sansa assured him. "I am glad you are back from the Vale."

"Yes, the Vale is under Lord Baelish's control now and Lady Kenna Arryn is travelling with the Lannister army," Loras informed the ladies in front of him.

"And what is to be her role when she reaches King's Landing?" Margaery asked with interest.

Loras sent Margaery a sweet smile, "Grandmother wanted to know that too and I'll tell you what I told her. I don't know."

"Oh you are useless at ferreting out information aren't you," Margaery exclaimed.

Loras simply shrugged at his sister and turned to Sansa.

"Thank you for your concern my Lady, the Vale is a bleak place." He paused a moment and eyed his sister. "I miss Highgarden. Don't you miss Highgarden Sister?" Loras asked Margaery.

Margaery rolled her eyes at Loras. "Of course but my place is in King's Landing now."

The sound of bells sounded out around the Red Keep no doubt cutting off a witty reply from Loras.

"It seems Lord Tywin's host has finally caught up with the superior Tyrell army and reached King's Landing," Loras said playfully.

"Well why don't we watch them march in then," Margaery suggested aware that Sansa had remained more quiet than usual throughout the conversation.

Loras offered Sansa his arm and the three high born nobles walked from Margaery's chambers to the nearest tower to watch the sea of red Lannister soldiers steadily make their way towards the city.

* * *

_Another hour later …_

** _Courtyard, Red Keep King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms_ **

* * *

Jamie stared down into the courtyard of the Red Keep. The sun basked the pale stones of the walls and floor in light as Lannister soldiers marched to fill the Courtyard. The Lannister soldiers stood to attention. Waiting.

Jamie heard light footsteps behind him. He didn't turn to face the person. He knew who it would be.

"Have you come to council me to act with caution?" Jamie said not bothering to turn around to face the person behind him.

"Me advising caution?" Tyrion let out a little chuckle. "No, I am just going to council you against confronting father as soon as he arrives, when the whole of King's Landing will be watching. It is better to handle these types of matters behind closed doors."

"I don't want to marry the Arryn girl," Jamie said in exasperation turning to face Tyrion.

"If it is any consolation, I am confident she doesn't want to marry you either," Tyrion stated trying to break the gloomy look on his brother's face.

Jamie let out an exhausted breath. "I don't want Casterly Rock either, I want to remain a Kingsguard. I want to stay in King's Landing." _With Cersei,_ he added in his mind.

"Yes well, father rarely factors into his plans what we want dear brother," Tyrion said matter-of-factly.

"Well this time he will," Jamie said stubbornly.

Tyrion walked to stand beside Jamie. He looked down on the assembled Lannister men in the courtyard. "Is that what Cersei told you? Push father hard enough and he will back down? father doesn't backdown, not unless you have something to threaten him with." Tyrion lowered his voice. "Do you have something to threaten him with?"

Jamie turned to mirror Tyrion and face the courtyard, his face had a serious expression on it that didn't match his usual carefree manner. He leaned slightly closer to Tyrion and his eyes quickly swept their vicinity before he answered his brother.

"Cersei said that she would tell father about us if he tried to force through my marriage to Lady Kenna and her marriage to Ser Loras," Jamie whispered.

"I hope you told her how catastrophic that would be," Tyrion said firmly. "Not that I wouldn't like to see fathers face when Cersei tells him, just that course of action would probably backfire on her. Father would send her to Casterly Rock where she can be shut away and ignored. You would probably still be marrying Lady Kenna despite your protests and Joffrey would never reinstate you as a Kingsguard without father's blessing."

"You think father would just ignore that his legacy is a lie?" Jamie said in surprise.

"He has been doing just that for the past twenty years, what is a few more years," Tyrion said nonchalantly.

"You think he knows," Jamie asked with slight horror etched onto his face at the thought.

"I think deep down he knows he just can't bring himself to really acknowledge that his two favourite children are fucking each other," Tyrion remarked.

"Keep your voice down," Jamie chided.

"Why does it matter if you are going to tell father any way," Tyrion reasoned but before Jamie could utter a reply there was a commotion in the courtyard. "Ah look your future wife is here," Tyrion said changing the topic of conversation.

Jamie turned back to the courtyard to indeed see his father ride into the open space with Lady Kenna sat in front of him. All the Lannister men stood to attention as Tywin stopped his horse in the centre of the courtyard. The red and gold of Tywin's armour was striking against the white and blue of Kenna's robe.

Jamie exchanged a withering look with Tyrion then walked towards the Red Keep, leaving Tyrion alone to welcome back their father and return the Hand of the King pin.

Tyrion released a tortured sigh. _Coward_, he thought without any real menace. Jamie could be replied upon to do many things for his brother but standing up to their father wasn't one of them. Jamie was probably making his way to Cersei right now to rethink their plans to get out of their marriages. Tyrion hoped they would come up with a plan that didn't involve revealing his nephews and nieces true parentage to his father. Tyrion suspected that option would only make his siblings situation worse and although he held no love for his sister, he did for his brother.

Tyrion started to make his way down the steps to the courtyard. He observed his father dismount from his great white horse in the centre of the courtyard and then help Lady Kenna bridge the gap between the saddle and the floor.

Tyrion observed that Lady Kenna shot his father an annoyed look as he lowered her to the ground but as usual his father didn't bother himself with the opinion of the perceived sheep. Although, Tyrion suspect that this particular sheep was wearing a disguise. The rest of the realm may have forgotten how the the Greyjoy Rebellion truly ended but Tyrion knew that past actions often indicated future actions. And if Kenna Arryn was to repeat her past actions someone in King's Landing was going to lose their head and Tyrion had a few suggestions were she could aim her fury.

As he got closer Tyrion noticed with some surprise that Lady Kenna was not wearing a dress like the last time they had spoken. She was wearing a well fitted light white robe that covered her from her head to her knees. The outfit was clearly designed for maximum movement and flexibility. Perfect for a long horse ride. The robe had a hood that rested behind Kenna's head and a light blue silk shoulder cape that was etched with a white falcon. This wasn't the attire of a lady but it oddly suited Lady Kenna Tyrion thought as he reached the bottom of the stairs and proceeded to make his way to his father and future good sister.

His father spotted Tyrion and gave Lady Kenna a warning look. It was a look Tyrion knew well. It meant, _don't do anything foolish. _Tyrion was glad there would be another person in King's Landing to share the irk of Tywin Lannister. Maybe she could even take his mantle as chief irker.

"Lady Kenna it is a pleasure to see you again," Tyrion said in a chipper voice.

"Really my Lord?" Kenna said with some suspicion evident in her voice. "I would have thought you wouldn't have been pleased to see me. I did nearly have you thrown to your death the last time we met."

"Ah yes, how can one forget the fingertips of death brushing up against ones back. I do believe you listened to the Gods and justice was done that day," Tyrion responded still maintaining his jovial manner.

"Yes, I believe it was," Kenna replied.

"Perfect, then there is no nasty history preventing us from forging a strong brother sister bond then," Tyrion said with a smile.

Tywin cut into the conversation, not interested in the small talk. "Where is Jamie? We need to start preparing for his wedding."

Tyrion looked from Kenna, noting the shadow that fell across her face at the mention of her impending wedding, to his father. "Last I saw him he was walking to the Red Keep."

"See to it that Lady Kenna is settled in," Tywin said to Tyrion.

Without acknowledging Tyrion any further Tywin started to stride towards the Red Keep in search of his eldest son, leaving Kenna and Tyrion surrounded by a group of Lannister guards.

_I wouldn't want to be Jamie right now, _Tyrion thought dryly as he watched his father stalk off.

"I hope he never finds him," Kenna said in a nearly inaudible voice.

Tyrion felt a small smile tug on the corners of his mouth at the image of his father endlessly walking around the Red Keep.

"Me too," Tyrion said. "Shall I show you to your new rooms?"

"As long as it isn't the Black Cells, I am sure I will be happy," Kenna said.

"How do chambers in the Tower of the Hand sound?" Tyrion asked in a light tone.

"Entirely too close to your father for my liking," Kenna replied eyeing the structure of the Red Keep with contempt.

Tyrion let out a single laugh._ Lady Kenna is going to spice things up here,_ Tyrion happily concluded from her actions so far. Tyrion didn't know if Kenna's inclusion into his family would ruin the Lannister name or ensure it a lasting legacy. But he was sure that her presence in King's Landing would lead to some interesting experiences in the capital. _Maybe she will even distract Cersei and Father long enough for me to be able to spirit Shae away, _Tyrion thought hopefully.

To survive in this game that they all played one needed able partners. Maybe his future good sister could become such a partner with the right encouragement. And besides they already had one goal in common. To avoid death at the hands of Cersei Lannister and Tyrion was under no illusions, that at the top of Cersei's kill list would be written Kenna's and his name. One for killing her mother, the other for being the future wife of her lover.

Tyrion beckoned for Lady Kenna to follow him as he started to walk towards the Red Keep. Kenna fell into step beside him as the Lannister guards followed in their shadows.

She looked up into the Red Keep. Inside were dangers. Lions that prowled. Roses that strangled. Spiders that spun. Walls that had ears.

But there were also allies. A lone wolf. A little boy. An odd man. A caged lord.


	21. A Lady's Fate

* * *

_The next day …_

** _War Council, Winterfell, Seat of power of House Stark in the North, Capital of the Kingdom of the North_ **

* * *

All the Northern Lords followed their Kings lead in looking glumly at the map depicting Westeros sprawled out on the round table as they all digested the news.

The Arryn army had been routed. The Eyrie had fallen. Lady Alyssa Arryn had died, how she died no-one surrounding the table knew but they were all certain it wasn't from natural causes. Lord Baelish by marriage to Lysa Arryn had been pronounced the Lord of the Eyrie, Warden of the East. The Tyrell and Lannister armies were making their way back to King's Landing with Lady Kenna Arryn in tow having brought the Vale back into the fold of the Seven Kingdoms.

Robb wasn't sure if he should be happy at this piece of news or not. Yes she was alive right now but her execution was all but assured when she reached King's Landing. She had defied the Crown. Just like his father had. Robb didn't want to lose another person he cared for on the steps of the Great Sept of Baelor.

But what could he do from Winterfell?

Lord Bolton was the first to break the silence.

"As grave as the loss of the Eyrie and the Arryn's support is we need to focus on how to deal with the Greyjoys raids on our western coast and prepare for when the South turns its attention back north."

"What about Sansa? And finding Bran and Rickon," Arya piped up from her sitting position to Robb's left.

Lord Bolton looked to Robb before answering Arya. Robb gave a little nod in Lord Bolton's direction but his eyes never left the map. Anyone with any sense knew where is eyes were fixed. The Eyrie.

"My Lady, I have my son searching for them now. He is my best tracker. He will find them and bring them back to Winterfell. As for your sister we are not in a position to retrieve her from King's Landing and it is doubtful that we will be ready before winter sets in," Lord Bolton said.

Arya sunk back into her chair shocked that Sansa would just be left in King's Landing at the mercy of the Lannisters until winter passed. By the time winter thawed Sansa would have spent more time in King's Landing than she had in Winterfell. Gods knows what damage they had inflicted on her already, what would be left of the Sansa they knew after a decade spent in King's Landing?

Arya looked to Robb to challenge Lord Bolton's assessment but when no words left her big brother's mouth she jumped from her chair and stormed out the room.

All eyes in the room went to Robb after his sister's abrupt exit. His face remained passive as his eyes continued to stare at the map laid out before him.

A few seconds ticked by as an uncomfortable silence threatened the room.

Robb stood from his chair and slowly placed his hands on the table before looking around the room at the assembled lords.

"The North requires time to recover from what Theon put it through." _From what I put it through,_ Robb added in his head. "We need to secure our grain stores and make sure there is enough shelter for our people to outlast the harsh winter that is coming. As for the South, no southern army has ever taken the North and they never will. But my Lords, once winter is over they will come." Robb raised his voice as he looked from lord to lord, "And when they do I want the largest army the North has ever seen to meet them on the battlefield and send them packing back to the warmth of the South."

The Northern Lords started to bang on the table in agreement with Robb's words but he hushed them into silence.

"Our more immediate problem are the Greyjoy raids." Robb said looking down at the map again. "We cannot compete with them on the waves. Their skill at sea is legendary and we do not have enough ships to patrol the west coast sufficiently."

"What do you suggest, your Grace?" Lord Umber asked.

"That we get some leverage. We still have Theon's body do we not?" Robb asked the room.

"We have his head on a pike at the gates of Winterfell still but his body was … lost," Lord Umber replied.

Robb knew full well that lost in this context meant hacked to pieces and then mindlessly scattered. He couldn't blame his men for their actions. Rage knows no honour.

"That doesn't matter she won't be able to tell the difference between one skeleton and another," Robb said.

"Who won't be able to?" Lord Bolton asked with a puzzled look on his face.

"Yara Greyjoy," Robb said while tracing an index finger on the map from Winterfell to Pyke. "I am sure she will want her brothers body back. She is the one conducting the raids on the North in Theon's honour, not Balon so I am sure she will want to meet to discuss receiving her brother's body back," Robb said.

The northern council meeting went on for another hour as smaller matters were discussed and decisions made. Robb dismissed his banner-men after the last matter was resolved only to find that Maester Luwin had ignored his dismissals and had remained in his seat.

"Maester Luwin?" Robb questioned.

The old man stood from his seat and walked to stand near the side of the table that held up the area of the map showing the Vale.

"I know you think that Lady Kenna is being marched to her own execution but there is another reason why Tywin Lannister might want a high born lady in King's Landing," Luwin said in a steady voice.

Robb's face darkened as he figured out what Luwin meant. "He intends to marry her but to who?"

"I would guess his eldest son since he was recently released from the Kingsguard," Luwin stated with confidence.

Robb turned away from Luwin as he processed his feelings. Robb imaged Kenna was not happy at that arrangement considering he knew all too well her reaction to her last marriage. Kenna's stinging words on his failures that led to that Frey wedding still rang in his head. Those words had hurt him more than he cared to admit.

Robb's relief that Kenna wasn't going to her death battled with the rage that was invoked at the picture of Kenna dressed in gold and red, pregnant with a Lannister child.

Before he knew what he was doing he had slammed his fists down onto the table and shoved the map so that it fell to the floor. _Kenna Lannister just sounded wrong,_ he thought as he took a few seconds to calm himself down. Robb felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Luwin's understanding face.

In Luwin's wise face he found the truth that really turned his blood cold.

He couldn't save her from the Lannisters in King's Landing. Not like she had saved him at the Twins from the Freys. The Falcon would get no help from the Wolf.

Not yet anyway.

* * *

_At the same time …._

**Small Council Chamber, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Tyrion whistled a cheery tune as he stared back the vitriol of Cersei's glare across the small council table. Pycelle was shooting worries glances at Varys who looked relaxed with his hands hidden in his sleeves. Jamie merely looked out a window disinterested with the whole scene. Waiting wasn't something he was good at. He was a man of action and nothing was more tedious to a man of action than waiting. There were only three people in this world that he would suffer through boredom for and two of them were stuck in this room with him, although for how much longer the peace would be kept between his siblings was anyone's guess.

Everyone stood up apart from Tyrion as Tywin entered the small council chamber in a brisk pace.

"Father," Cersei rushed to say first as Tywin promptly sat down at the head of the table. He flicked his hand at her dismissing her future words in favour of his own.

"We have a list of issues to go through, I suggest we start with the most urgent," Tywin said as he let his arms rest on the table.

He looked to Varys, "What do you know of Stannis's movements?"

Varys shifted in his seat, "My Lord, my little birds tell me that Stannis is no longer at Dragon Stone."

"And where did he go then?" Cersei hissed. "Everyone knows that Stannis wants one thing and one thing only. My son's throne. He wouldn't just leave."

"Yes your Grace, it is well know what Stannis wants. However there are many ways in which he might go about usurping the throne," Varys said cryptically.

"Where did Stannis go," Tywin reiterated Cersei's question.

"My birds were unable to ascertain his destination, just that he set sail with thousands of men and left enough to defend Dragon Stone sufficiently in his absence."

Cersei slapped the table with one hand causing Pycelle to flinch in his seat.

"Stannis wants to usurp my son's thrones and that is all the information you know," Cersei spat at the eunuch.

To Vary's credit he didn't react to his Queen's wrath, he simply stared back at her seething face with a mask of total calmness.

"Yes, Stannis wants the Iron Throne," Tyrion said. He paused and made a show of looking around the small council table. "And where is my beloved nephew while we are plotting the defence of his crown," Tyrion said sarcastically.

"He is the King, he has many important matters he needs to attend to," Cersei said in defence of her son.

"What is more important than the defence of the realm? I believe Protector of the Realm is one of his many titles," Tyrion remarked snidely.

Before Cersei could retort. Jamie cut in and directed his question to Lord Varys.

"Where did Stannis gain thousands of men and the ships to carry them? I thought his army and fleet were destroyed at Blackwater Bay, or was his demise over-exaggerated?" Jamie asked with an engaged look on his face. The topic of armies and military strategy was one subject Jamie had never shied away from.

Varys removed his hands from his sleeve and sneaked a glance at Tywin, who gestured for him to continue, before addressing Jamie.

"It appears that before the Eyrie was taken and my good friend Lord Baelish installed as its Lord, that Lady Kenna sent roughly three thousand Valemen loyal to her personally on thirty ships to Dragon Stone. I can only guess she did this to strengthen Stannis's push for the Iron throne."

"And this is the woman you want to marry into our family," Cersei stated flippantly to her father.

Tywin ignored his daughter as if she hadn't said a word and turned his attention to Lord Varys. "Find out where Stannis set sail to and do it quickly."

Lord Varys bowed his head in response.

Jamie settled back into his chair as the topic of Stannis's movements gave way to stories emerging from the far east and how the stores of grains and livestocks would be managed best in the face of the oncoming winter. The only bit of conversation Jamie remembered was when Tyrion loudly announced that he should get the title of Master of Grain and Goats as well as retain his current title of Master of Coin.

G_rain, coin and goats. I am sure there is a joke in there somewhere_, Jamie thought whimsically to himself before he caught the last bit of a discussion on whether the Dornish should be offered a seat on the small council.

Words were only words to Jamie. Actions were all that mattered to him. He drifted away, his mind carrying him to thoughts of his soon to be wife. Cersei and Jamie had agreed a plan. A plan that would see that everyone got what they wanted. Jamie risked a glance at his father. Well almost everyone.

Jamie only stirred when the talk of surviving winter morphed into what plans would be enacted once winter had thawed.

"This winter will be particularly harsh but it should finish before a decade has passed I assure you," Pycelle said.

"Yes and in that time Robb Stark will have fortified the North and replenished his army," Tywin pointed out, his undertone hinting at his annoyance that the Stark boy was still alive. "The boy is no fool, he will use the time of winter to his advantage. He will not idly wait out winter."

"Even so they will not withstand an attack from the combined forces of the Tyrell and Lannister armies my Lord, they simply do not have the numbers," Pycelle replied boldly.

"Yes that is if our little alliance lasts that long," Tyrion said while examining his fingers.

Tywin eyes narrowed at that comment, "Lord Varys, Grand Maester Pycelle you are dismissed. I will talk to my children alone now."

Lord Varys immediately and cat like removed himself from the room to be followed slowly by the huffing and puffing of Pycelle.

The Lannister children all avoided their father's gaze as the clinking of Pycelle's chains could be heard fading into the distance. They were all united for once in not wanting to discuss the next topic. And they all knew what the next topic was.

_Marriage. _

* * *

Tywin eyed his children as they shuffled nervously in their chairs. Not one of them would lift their heads to meet his gaze. _My children. They disgrace the Lannister name_, he thought venomously.

"We need to discuss the future of this house and confirm the matches of Kenna Arryn and Loras Tyrell," Tywin said while looking between his two eldest children.

"Oh well you don't need me to be here Father, you have already successfully forced a marriage on me," Tyrion said while sliding out of his chair.

"Stay where you are. Despite my wishes you are apart of this family so you will stay," Tywin said sternly, a touch of irritation had crept into his voice.

Tyrion's shoulders slumped as he pushed himself back up onto the chair he had wished to vacant. His escape plans never did work.

"Jamie you will marry Kenna Arryn before the week is finished and Cersei you will marry Loras Tyrell after Margaery marriages Joffrey. There will be no arguments on this. Jamie you are no longer a Kingsguard and it is time you take your rightful place as my heir to Casterly Rock. Cersei your marriage to Loras will further strengthen the ties of the Tyrell and Lannister alliance ensuring it is an alliance that will last."

Tywin's words were met with silence as he scanned the faces of his children for their expected resistance.

Tyrion looked from his brother to his sister. Cersei shook her head slightly at Jamie, warding him off saying anything to their father. Tyrion noted this development and resolved himself to question Jamie about it later. It seemed that his siblings had come up with another plan after all.

"Should I take your silence as an agreement?" Tywin asked cautiously having observed the same interaction as Tyrion but not understanding its true meaning.

He had obviously been expecting a fight or at least a pretence of one from his eldest son and certainly a loud refusal from his daughter but both had remained muted. A rare occurrence to be met with deep suspicion.

Their response of slight nods did not bode well for the future Tywin surmised but he would crush their refusals when they came just as he would have if they had been aired now.

"Excellent," Tywin declared as he stood from his chair and walked from the room. His mind already working on the solution to his next problem.

Tyrion remained in his chair watching his siblings with serious intent as both got up to leave. _What are you two up too? _He questioned himself. King's Landing was a dangerous place to be when you didn't know what was around the corner.

* * *

_That afternoon …_

**Kenna's guest chamber in the Tower of the Hand, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Kenna paced in a circle around her chambers. The chambers were big enough that she could do so without bumping into any furniture. The sun was high enough in the sky that the light shone though strongly and illuminated the room.

She was thinking.

Thinking about how Lord Royce and herself could escape. She was quite confident that she could facilitate their escape from the Red Keep given the time and right preparation. A slit throat here and there. The right keys in her pocket. Lord Royce free from his cell and the two of them riding through the gate of the Red Keep onto the streets of King's Landing. They could be gone from King's Landing before the bell would have stopped ringing.

Or so Kenna told herself.

The problem wasn't the escape plan even if it proceeded the way Kenna had envisaged it. The problem was what to do after. Her kingdom was ruled by another and she had no means in which to take it back on the run. Everyone in the south would hunt her down for Tywin Lannister's gold. The only viable place for them to run to would be the North and Kenna didn't fancy spending the rest of her life living as an exile in Winterfell battling the elements to stay alive only for a Southern army to come knocking.

No, if she was to regain what she had lost she had to play the games of the court here, in King's Landing and she had to win.

A knock on her door broke her from her thoughts. The door opened to reveal a contingent of Lannister soldiers.

Kenna resisted the urge to run to her blades that were attached to the underside of her bed. Without her blades on her wrists she felt naked and vulnerable but she couldn't take the risk of them being discovered on her person. Once everyone had gotten use to her playing the Lady in a dress and lowered their guard she would return her blades to their rightful place on her wrists but until that time came they would remain out of her reach and out of the reach of her enemies.

Kenna took the necessary steps towards the Lannister men and walked into the hallway.

_It was time for the King to pass his judgement,_ Kenna thought, _or at least pass the judgement of his grandfather. _

* * *

_A few minutes later …._

**Throne room, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Kenna waited patiently amongst the crowd with Ser Hugh at her side as she watched Tywin guide Joffrey through his Kingly duty of hearing the woes and sorrows of his people. Kenna noted that the only time the boy King smiled was when he gave out the punishments. There would be a lot of handless and tongueless people on the streets of King's Landing tonight if the King's justice was done.

Kenna scanned the room as she awaited for her fate to be announced. Cersei and Jamie were nowhere to be seen. _They are probably plotting my death right now or fucking each other, _Kenna thought_._ Either scenario if it was occurring wasn't a particularly good sign for her future.

Kenna's gaze settled on an old woman dressed in green and gold. She gave off the distinct impression of being bored and was completely ignoring a middle aged man beside her.

_Ah this must be the famous Queen of Thorns, Olenna Tyrell_. _I wonder why she is here …._ p_robably to see if I can keep my head attached to my shoulders, _Kenna answered herself.

Kenna suspected that was the main reason why there was an unusually high number of nobility attending the normally deserted King's Justice session.

Finally her name was called.

All eyes went to her as she separated herself form the crowd and ambled down the aisle towards the current King of the Seven Kingdoms.

Joffrey had been lounging on the Iron Throne all afternoon but once he caught sight of Kenna he straightened and leaned forward as if she was an exotic animal he was seeing for the first time.

Tywin stood by his grandsons side and introduced Kenna.

"Your Grace, this is Lady Kenna Arryn former Queen of the Mountain and Vale. I believe she has come here to beg your pardon for her role in the Vale's rebellion."

_You believe … you ordered me to just a few hours ago,_ Kenna mentally answered Tywin while subverting the urge to throw Tywin a dirty look.

Kenna approached the throne and knelt down before the steps.

"Your grandfather is correct." Kenna grated her teeth together as she continued. "I ask for forgiveness for my actions. I was mistaken, I see that now."

"Fine," Joffrey snapped.

It was clear that Joffrey just like Kenna had been given instructions by Tywin on what to say. But unlike Kenna Joffrey had the luxury of being able to show his annoyance at being controlled.

"I Joffrey Baratheon, first of my name do hereby pardon Lady Kenna Arryn of all crimes relating to the rebellion in the Vale and the sacking of Casterly Rock."

Tywin leaned towards his grandson and whispered something into his ear. Joffrey's face scrunched up upon hearing what were probably more instructions. Once Tywin and taken a step back Joffrey redirected his attention to the still kneeling Lady in front of him.

"My grandfather has told me that you have accepted a marriage proposal from my Uncle, the Kingslayer. I offer my congratulations and hope that he is a better husband than he was a Kingsguard. I suppose having one hand isn't as detrimental to being a husband than it is to being a Kingsguard."

Joffrey paused as if trying to imagine all the downsides of having only one hand.

Kenna took this opportunity to sound her retreat from the King.

"Thank you, your Grace, I am sure your uncle and I will be very happy and that our marriage will reflect the peace and harmony to come between the Vale and the Crown."

Kenna started to rise and was about to return to the crowd but Joffrey wasn't ready to let her go.

Joffrey fixed Kenna with an unnerving stare. "Tell me my Lady, did you enjoy killing Euron Greyjoy? Did it satisfy you?"

Kenna who had been caught off guard by the change in direction of the conversation and tone quickly looked to Tywin but he couldn't retract the questions from the King and the King as well as the crowd now awaited her answer.

Kenna pushed herself up from her kneeling position and met Joffrey's curious gaze with her own. _I have nothing to lose by telling the truth,_ Kenna decided.

"Yes I did and it has by far been the most satisfying moment of my life so far," Kenna replied without breaking eye contact with the boy monarch.

Kenna's answer brought a wide grin to Joffrey's face and his excitement was palpable. His eyes shone and he sat on the edge of the Iron Throne.

"Was he your first kill?" Joffrey asked. It seemed death was his favourite topic to discuss.

"Yes. But I have killed since," Kenna kept her tone neutral aware that the topic being discussed was an uneasy one. She could feel the crowd behind her fidget and shy away from her at her admission. Ladies weren't meant to be deadly and weren't suppose to kill. Kenna scoffed at this idea. As if men had a monopoly on dealing out death.

"When you killed did it feel the same each time?" Joffrey enquired.

"No, each death meant something different and was done for different reasons so the feeling of each death was .. unique," Kenna said carefully selecting her words.

"Who have you killed," Joffrey continued obvious to the growing uneasiness that had started to grip the gathered nobility.

"Euron Greyjoy, a few Mountain clansmen with my bow," Kenna looked from Joffrey to Tywin as she continued, 'and I cut Edwyn Frey's throat on our marriage night."

A ripple of astonishment spread throughout the crowd behind her but her attention was purely focused on returning the intense stare that Tywin had fixed her with in the wake of her last spoken words. The murmurs that went through the room at Kenna's words were only silenced when Tywin broke their stare and announced that the session had come to an end and that the King would continue tomorrow.

Kenna quickly bowed to Joffrey before rejoining Ser Hugh and walking from the room. She needed some air away from prying eyes.

Tywin noted that his grandson's eyes followed Kenna's exit. His mind flashed back to another time where a King he knew well took an unhealthy interest in a woman that wasn't his. The more time Tywin spent in Joffrey's company the more he was reminded of his old friend Aerys, the Mad King.

Lady Olenna watched as Kenna exited the room. Her mind was still focused on the interactions between the now departed Lady and the King who had just vacated his throne. Just what type of person was she allowing her beloved granddaughter to marry she wondered to herself.


	22. The Union of East and West

* * *

_A week later …_

_Night before the wedding of Kenna Arryn and Jamie Lannister_

** _Cersei's chambers, _ ** **Maegor's Holdfast, Red Keep** **, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Jamie felt the anger rising in him as he continued to argue with his sister.

"We both don't want to get married. Why don't we just runaway to Essos. Take enough gold that we can live happily together until our last breaths," Jamie said with conviction.

"Gods you can be so stupid," Cersei chastised. "We can't runaway. My children need me here. And if I had to choose between them and you I know my choice."

Jamie tried to pretend that her words didn't hurt him but he saw the truth in Cersei's eyes. He would never be enough for Cersei. He wasn't her entire world like she was for him. Jamie turned away from Cersei to rest on the window ledge. He felt her hands snake their way up his arms to his shoulders and her breath tickled at the nape of his neck.

"If you marry Kenna Arryn father won't send you away to Casterly Rock unless she is pregnant. He will want to keep you both close to ensure that you give him another heir. For you to remain in King's Landing she just has to remain childless. I won't be sent to the Reach until I have a child by Loras and since he is more interested in boys I don't see that being a possibility. We can still remain in King's Landing if we play out hands right."

"You mean if we both manage to avoid the attentions of our soon to be other halfs." Jamie shook his head. "I am sure Kenna Arryn doesn't want anything to do with me anyway but Ser Loras is the heir to Highgarden he knows he will be expected to produce an heir despite his preferences."

Cersei turned Jamie's face to meet hers. "Then we will provide Highgarden with an heir just like we provided the Crown with one and I will argue to stay in King's Landing for Joffrey and Tommen."

Jamie was pulled into the kiss that Cersei forced onto him but he could never resist his sister's advances and he spun Cersei so her back was pressed against the wall and he took charge as his hand started to disrobe her and his kisses started to trail down her neck.

Cersei returned Jamie's advances and it felt like nothing else mattered in the world when he heard her moans of pleasure as he started to undo his breaches.

* * *

Next morning_ …_

**Wedding breakfast for the union of Jamie Lannister and Kenna Arryn ** **, Red Keep** **, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Tyrion had been watching Kenna and Jamie closely for the last few minutes as they had received gifts and congratulations from the gathered nobility on the high table. He had deduced that they had both reached their limit of fake flattery. Kenna's pleasant manner from the beginning of breakfast had descended into a strained disposition and she grew more restless with each Lord and Lady she was forced to engage with. While Jamie's mute disinterest had turned into open hostile japes as he accepted gifts and well wishes with his supreme grasp of sarcasm on full display.

_That's the brother I love, _Tyrion joked to himself. _A sarcastic bastard. _

Tyrion observed a young boy approach the table and saw Kenna's hands tense ever so slightly. The boy wore the sigil of a white falcon flying on a sky of royal blue. _This boy was sent by Littlefinger, _Tyrion realised.

The young boy cleared his throat.

"Lord Jamie, Lady Kenna I give congratulation on your forthcoming wedding. Please accept my apologies on behalf of the Lord and Lady of the Eyrie that they will not be able to attend your wedding. Also, please accept their gift."

The young boy turned to pick up an item covered by a large piece of cloth. He placed it on the table before Jamie and Kenna. He removed the cloth to reveal a young male adult peregrine falcon sitting still inside a bird cage.

Kenna was transfixed with the falcon. It was completely black and majestic looking as it eyed those on the table.

"A pretty gift," Sansa's sweet voice came from his left.

Tyrion turned to Sansa, "Yes, also an appropriate gift from Lord Baelish."

As Tyrion went to sip from his wine goblet his father's voice came from behind him, making him flinch and slosh his wine a little.

"Yes, a caged falcon, for a caged falcon. Lord Baelish hasn't lost his sense of humour up in the mountains yet," Tywin's deep tone filled the air between Sansa and Tyrion.

At that exact moment, as if Kenna had heard his words, she opened the cage and stuck out her robbed arm for the falcon to jump onto. After a few seconds the bird hopped onto her arm and sat content to be stroked by its new master.

Jamie sat in his chair unmoved by the majestic creature. The only majestic creature he was interested in sat a few seats to his right and was currently rolling her eyes at Kenna.

Kenna turned to the young boy, her focus still on the bird.

"Please thank Lord Baelish and Lady Lysa for their thoughtful gift. Tell them …. tell them that I named him Balerion," she said with a mischievous grin on her face. It was the first sign of true enjoyment Kenna had shown all day.

The boy nodded and backed away from the table.

Tyrion looked at the falcon that now rested on Kenna's shoulder, _Balerion … well my little friend you have a way to grow if you want to match your predecessor_, he mused.

"And what did you get the happy couple Father on their wedding day?" Tyrion queried.

"I gave Jamie a beautiful high born wife to rule the Westerlands with and I allowed Kenna Arryn to live when she should have died for her traitorous rebellion in the Vale. Both I believe are a sufficient enough gifts for such an occasion as today."

Tyrion was about to make a remark to his father about how neither Jamie or Kenna would probably view those things as gifts but turned around to see his father walking back to the high table to reseat himself between Cersei and Jamie.

He looked back at Sansa and smiled at her. He would rather have his beautiful wife's attention instead of his father's anyway.

* * *

Kenna stood at the top of the steps to the Great Sept twisting her fingers in anticipation. She glanced through the open doors to the crowd waiting below. To her future husband who waited by the High Septon. It wasn't the crowd or her future husband that had her twisting her fingers in anticipation. It was seeing Lord Royce again.

She hadn't been allowed to see him until the day of her marriage. The past few weeks had felt like years. Kenna felt guilty that he was left to rot in the darkness of the black cells for her crime of rebellion while she swanned about in the sunlight.

Lord Royce had made the deal that had put them in their respective positions but a man could have regrets and change his opinions. Kenna hoped his captivity had not changed his opinion on her. She suspected keeping them apart was part of the Lannister's plan to weaken their relationship and cut them off from one another but they were stronger than that.

Kenna heard heavy foot steps behind her. She turned to see a clean shaven Lord Royce approaching her with an escort of half a dozen Lannister soldiers.

The genuine smile on his face told Kenna her earlier worries were for nothing. This man would always have faith in her and back her. Lord Royce gathered Kenna into a deep hug.

"You look beautiful Kenna," he gently whispered into her ear.

"Thank you. You look pretty good yourself," Kenna replied tightening her hold on Lord Royce.

Lord Royce let out a little chuckle and his hands moved from around Kenna to rub his own face. "Yes well, washing and grooming does wonders."

"Yes, you no longer smell like the wrong end of a donkey," Kenna teased as the smile on her face grew with each word shared between them.

Lord Royce gave her an endearing nudge in retaliation for her words.

One of the Lannister guards approached them and with his arm indicated for them to walk into the Great Sept of Baelor.

Both the smiles on Royce's and Kenna's faces were immediately replaced with masks of indifference as they were reminded of the purpose of them being together. Lord Royce offered his arm to Kenna. She took it and they walked gracefully into the Sept as the eyes of King's Landing followed them down the aisle.

Kenna couldn't help comparing this walk down the aisle with her last walk down an aisle. Unfortunately, she knew her marriage to Jamie Lannister wouldn't be as short as her marriage to Edwyn Frey.

This marriage was made to last and create a legacy. To create _his_ legacy.

* * *

When it came to relinquishing Kenna before the altar of the Seven. Lord Royce almost couldn't force himself to do it. He didn't see Kenna as a woman to be married off to make a political alliance or ensure a peaceful transition. No, she was a Queen, a Lady, a fighter, and most importantly to Lord Royce she was a daughter. Truth be told Lord Royce had thought of Kenna as a daughter for many years.

But with great mental effort he placed Kenna's hand in Jamie's and took his place shadowing Kenna and presenting the Vales support of this marriage. Even if the truth was far from that.

Lord Royce watched Kenna as she said the vows and pledged her self to the colours of the Lannisters. He knew her words were empty. Saying a few words before the Gods did not change who you were or where your loyalties lied. He looked to Tywin Lannister who mirrored his position behind Kenna, with Jamie. Lord Royce was sure there were expectations on this marriage and there would be consequences if those expectations weren't met.

Lord Royce followed Kenna and Jamie out of the sept once the vows had been concluded and Kenna was engulfed in a cloak of red and gold. He stood just outside of the Sept as Jamie and Kenna were whisked off to the feast to celebrate their nuptials.

Lord Royce felt Tywin's presence before the Lion Lords words reached him. "You will not be attending the feast."

"Yes, I guessed that. You need to remind her that you can take me away at a moments notice. I am your leverage on her. I understand that. Just don't be cruel for cruelties sake," Lord Royce said as two Lannister soldiers positioned themselves behind him.

Tywin nodded at the two soldiers and they marched Lord Royce back to the Black Cells. Tywin rotated around to watch his son and former battle foe lead a flock of nobles to the banquet. He caught the eye of Lady Olenna who gestured for him to come to her.

_What does she want?_ Tywin growled to himself. He straighten himself then strode towards the old woman. When facing the Queen of Thorns one always had to be on their game.

* * *

Sansa's eyes swept the room.

The celebrations at the feast were in full swing. Margaery and Loras were leading the dancing effortlessly twirling their way across the floor as others tried to copy and keep up. Cersei and Tyrion were having a drinking competition independently of each other. Jamie and Kenna had barely spoken a word to each other but they looked quite content to just sit and watch the festivities around them. Lord Tywin and Lady Olenna were engaged in an animated conversation on the far side of the room.

Sansa's attention was drawn to the high table. Joffrey had stood up and declared that he was bored and he went to leave the room but spun on his heels as if he had just thought of something. His eyes went to Lady Kenna.

"I am sure you are bored too. No wedding was ever going to live up to your last one was it?" Joffrey said with a menacing gleam in his eyes as he walked back towards Kenna and Jamie.

"I guess not your Grace," Kenna replied feeling the eyes of the high table on her and wishing the young king had made it to the door.

"I imagine this one is very different to your last one," Joffrey pressed as he stopped before the steps leading up to the high table.

"There have certainly been fewer deaths than at my last wedding." There was a slight pause before Kenna added, "Which I am thankful for. Nothing ruins a wedding celebration more than an untimely death."

"There was nothing untimely about what happened at the Twins. The only unfortunate thing was that Robb Stark didn't die as well as his bitch mother," Joffrey snarled unaware that the dancing had slowed and more eyes were beginning to pay attention to their conversation.

The air left Sansa's lungs at Joffrey's last comment. She struggled everyday to restrain her emotions and keep them locked inside but every now and again they threaten to spill over her carefully constructed defences. She could feel the tide of her pain rising. A gentle hand took ahold of her own. She turned slightly to see Tyrion's concerns eyes. He was clearly drunk but he still knew when Sansa needed his support. Each day Sansa spent in Tyrion's company reinforced that he truly was the best Lannister.

Movement in Sansa's peripheral vision brought her attention back to the crowd that had stopped dancing altogether behind Joffrey to see Lord Tywin making his way through the now stilled couples. Once he was only a few steps behind Joffrey he announce that it was time for the bedding. This seemed to distract Joffrey from his previous line of thought as he led the charge to drag Kenna to her new bed chambers. As Kenna was dragged past her and Tyrion, Sansa swore Kenna's eyes never left the Old Lion's who's gaze followed her out the hall as well.

_There is something between those two,_ Sansa thought and the more you knew in King's Landing the more ammunition you had against your enemies. She was about to turn to her husband to inquire if he knew anymore than she did but Tyrion was halfway done with downing another goblet of wine. Sansa sighed, he was the best Lannister but that still didn't count for much.

Jamie simply dismissed any woman that got close to him and followed the gaggle of men half carrying and dragging Kenna from the room. Before Jamie could exit the room, Lord Tywin had a quick word with him.

"I expect you to do your duty tonight and secure the line of succession," Tywin said in a serious tone.

"Yes, Father I will do my duty. That is all I have ever tried to do," Jamie replied not looking his father in the eye, worried he would see straight through him and his intentions.

"Well don't let me stand in your way then," Tywin said as he eyed his son with a scrutinising look.

Jamie didn't reply but walked past his father to his bed chambers and his waiting wife.

* * *

_A few minutes later …._

**Jamie's chambers in ** **Maegor's Holdfast** **, ** ** _King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms _ **

* * *

Kenna was wrestled towards her new bed chambers by the crowd of men brave enough to risk her displeasure, no doubt embolden by their ringleader and current King. Joffrey clearly didn't find this part of the wedding boring as he jostled Kenna past the threshold of her bedchambers and pushed her roughly into the direction of her bed. The other men had held back and not crossed over into the bedroom. They stood there, staring at Joffrey and Kenna with uncertain expressions on their face.

Kenna stood beside her bed while Joffrey's eyes took in her rumpled attire. There was no mistaking what was going on in his head.

Suddenly the men behind Joffrey started disappearing to reveal Jamie shoving his way through.

"Your Grace, how lovely of you to make sure my wife reached her bed chambers safely." Jamie gestured towards Kenna before continuing. "But as you can see she is where she is suppose to be and I am where I am suppose to be …. Where are you suppose to be your Grace?" Jamie cheekily remarked.

Joffrey sent Jamie a thunderous look. "I hope you know what you are doing Uncle, she looks like a women that needs to be put in her place. I am not sure you are up to the task," Joffrey taunted.

Jamie replied by practically roughhousing Joffrey out of the room as Joffrey tried to release himself from his Uncle's grasp. Jamie threw Joffrey out of the bedchambers and slammed the door shut as Joffrey was opening his mouth to no doubt protest his treatment at the hand of his Uncle.

Jamie turned back from the door to look at Kenna.

"Sorry about my nephew," Jamie flashed a small smile at Kenna, "as you have probably noticed he can be a bit … difficult."

"I agree with you there but I think you need to rethink the word nephew," Kenna remarked flatly.

Jamie responded to Kenna's words with a shrug of his shoulders. He knew there was no point denying Cersei's children were his. Kenna would never believe him anyway. He didn't want to deny it either.

Kenna started to slowly unravel the cords that held her dress up. Despite being twenty seven Kenna was still a virgin Jamie knew but at least she wasn't a blushing one. She showed no signs of being nervous and there was no tremor in her hands as she undid the ties on her clothes.

_Well she will remain a virgin tonight. _"I will not bed you," Jamie blurted out.

Kenna raised an eyebrow at him. "It is traditional on a wedding night for the marriage to be consummated."

"I know you don't know me very well and I would like to keep it that way but I don't care for traditions," Jamie said. "We need to come to an understanding. I know my father has impressed on you the need for a Lannister heir but I have no desire to consummate this marriage and I suspect you feel the same."

"This marriage was forced on me, of course I don't want to," Kenna replied in a bitting tone. "But your father has made it explicitly clear what the expectations are for this marriage and if they are not met someone I care deeply for will suffer."

Jamie walked slowly towards Kenna as he thought through the problem. _She means Lord Royce,_ he realised. "We can pretend that we are a true married couple then and Father will be none the wiser. I will tell him we have consummated the marriage."

Kenna didn't look convinced by Jamie's argument but she nodded in agreement. Maybe they could fool Tywin Lannister maybe they couldn't. In any-case Kenna needed time to figure out how she and Lord Royce would reclaim the Eyrie as well as destroy Lysa and Littlefinger.

"Will you visit your sister while we are pretending to be man and wife?" Kenna asked.

Jamie hesitated for a moment before replying, "Yes."

"Mmm," Kenna murmured as she tapped her fingers against one of the wooden posts of the bed. "Well as your wife I would advise against that, your father will be watching our bedchamber very closely and if you are seen to be sneaking off he might wonder where you get to and I don't think he will like the truth."

"I have had no trouble sneaking off in the past my Lady," Jamie pointed out surly. "And as your husband, I would advise you to avoid my sister since the last time we met you threatened her life. People who threaten my sister don't tend to survive long in King's Landing. Funny isn't it, how the future makes a mockery of the past's words."

"You were a Kingsguard then, without a wife, and your father was in Casterly Rock. And I seem to remember you saying I might find myself in a cage but you didn't mention the possibility that we would be in the same cage," Kenna said walking towards Jamie with her hands raised. "Despite everything that has happened over the past few years you still think seeing Cersei is a smart idea?"

"I don't care if it is a smart idea, I love Cersei and I will be with her." Jamie said stubbornly not liking the direction of the conversation.

"I hope fucking her has been worth the chaos you have caused. Your cuckholding of Robert caused the War of the Five Kings and countless deaths that could have been avoided if you just stuck your manhood in someone that wasn't related to you! If that wasn't enough you threw an eight year old boy out a window!" See Jamie's concerned look Kenna continued, "Yes Catelyn told me what you confessed to. You truly have no honour."

Despite Kenna's harsh words Jamie looked relatively calm and unaffected. _Has he heard these words before maybe from hisself?_ Kenna guessed.

"Well my Lady you have just married a man with no honour. Maybe your honourable reputation will rub off on me. I wonder what the difference is between us that make you honourable and me the man without honour?" Jamie looked expectantly at Kenna but she remained silent. "We both have killed for what we love and want. You killed Euron for your sister. I killed the Mad King for my Father and the people of the Seven Kingdoms and yet I am vilified and you are revered."

Jamie turned away from Kenna who was still mulling over Jamie's words and removed his shirt to reveal a hairless chest that sported a few fighting scares. He relaxed onto the bed having said his piece. When he saw that Kenna hadn't moved from her position beside the bed he turned his head to her.

"Are you going to stand there all night or are you going to join me in the bed so we can at least give a pretence of being man and wife? Otherwise our ruse isn't going to last as long as we want," Jamie said.

"Did you really kill the Mad King for your father?" Kenna asked in a sombre voice.

Jamie looked straight at Kenna, there was no playfulness in his eyes as he said slowly, "Areys ordered me to bring him my father's head right after he commanded the pyromancer to burn King's Landing to the ground. I didn't fancy killing my own father or watching King's Landing burn into a pile of ash so I killed the Pyromancer and put my sword through the Mad King's back."

Kenna blinked slowly at Jamie's revelation. The Kingslayer had saved the entire city and no-one knew.

"Will you please join me in bed now that you know I am not the man you thought I was or my father will find out we are disobeying him and trust me that is something we don't want him to know."

Kenna removed her dress in response so that she only wore her small clothes and laid down next to the half clothed Lannister. If Jamie didn't want to consummate their marriage, she didn't truly mind as long as Lord Royce didn't suffer for it. She wasn't counting on Tywin's promise to deliver Lysa and Litterfinger's heads to her anyway. She would find another way to take their heads herself.

Kenna looked at Jamie but his eyes were already closed. _Fine, _thought Kenna, as she rolled away from Jamie and tried to drift into a deep sleep.


	23. The Dove, the Harlot and the Rebel

* * *

_The next morning …_

**Near the Sea, King's Landing,** **Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Jamie and Brienne leaned on a stone railing overlooking Sansa as she stared out into the sea.

"There she is," Brienne pointed out.

"Yes, there she is. And?" Jamie said antagonistically.

"You made a promise," Brienne pressed.

Jamie turned to Brienne with a suffering look on his face. "To return the Stark girls to their mother who is now dead."

"To keep them safe," Brienne said firmly.

"Well Arya has been seen in the North with the Hound. I presume he has handed her back to her brother for a reward by now. So job done on that one. And Sansa Stark is now Sansa Lannister. Bit of a complication there."

"A complication does not release you from a vow," Brienne stated sternly trying to get her message across to the stubborn man before her.

"What do you want me to do? Kidnap my own sister-in-law and take her where? To Winterfell? Once winter is over my father will ravage the North. It would be better that she stays in King's Landing and adapts to her new life now rather than later," Jamie said argumentatively.

"Look me in the eye and tell me you think she will be safe in King's Landing."

Jamie looked away instead of confronting Brienne's blue eyes with his attempt at a lie. She would see straight through it anyway. Instead he settled for what he did best. Throw a sarcastic insult to cover up his feeling of uneasiness.

"Are you sure we aren't related? Ever since I returned every Lannister has been a miserable pain in my arse. Maybe you are a Lannister too. You have the hair for it but not the looks," Jamie said in a mocking tone.

Brienne held in her anger she was used to being insulted. "How is married life treating you Ser Jamie or is it Lord Jamie now?"

Jamie didn't reply to Brienne but instead looked once more at Sansa below and walked away from Brienne leaving her to look mildly annoyed at his childish responses. But she knew better. She knew that Jamie wouldn't break another vow. She knew there was still a good man deep down in him.

* * *

_Same morning and over the next month …._

**Courtyard, ** ** _Red Keep_ ** **, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Her morning so far had been uneventful. She had woken up to a snoring Jamie Lannister and discovered he was a heavy sleeper. He hadn't shaken from his slumber by the time Kenna had fully dressed and snuck out the room. Once outside the room she had come face to face with a Ser Hugh and she had quickly asked to be escorted to the courtyard.

She needed to clear her head and do some thinking. The best way to focus her mind was archery but there was no way the Lannisters would let her handle a bow. So she settled for dancing in the courtyard.

After a few vigorous dances Kenna was breathing heavily underneath the suns rays and let her body's lack of energy drag her down to the grass so she lay flat looking up into the sky. Balerion was circling the area around the Red Keep towers but Kenna was sure he was keeping her in sight. She smiled. She had always wanted a falcon when she was younger but her father had never got round to getting her one. He had always been too busy running the Vale or Robert's kingdom.

Kenna closed her eyes and focused on regaining her breath. After a few minutes the snatched breaths of an exhausted woman shifted into a controlled rhythm and she let herself enjoy the warmth of the sun that beat down on her.

Suddenly she felt that warmth fade away. She opened her eyes and to her surprise Lady Margaery stood above her.

Kenna didn't move from her position. "Lady Margaery, what can I do for you?"

Margaery shot her a beaming smile and gracefully laid down next to Kenna on the grass and gazed up into the sky.

"I couldn't help but notice you dancing as I walked past. You were eloquent and there were a few moves even I didn't know. Where did you learn to dance?" She asked.

Kenna returned to stare into the sky. "When I was a little girl in the Eyrie my sister and I would dance with Robert Baratheon and Eddard Stark and when we came to King's Landing Renly Baratheon took it upon himself to dance everyday with us. And as I am sure you know he was an exceptional dancer."

Margaery rolled onto her front and locked her eyes with Kenna's. "Yes my first love was an exceptional dancer. A shame he didn't have the time to teach me. Will you teach me how to dance like you were a few minutes ago?"

The request threw Kenna slightly. She had been in King's Landing a few weeks and everyone she had met either wanted something from her she didn't want to give or wanted her to do something she didn't want to do. It seemed Margaery was different she just wanted to dance. That was something Kenna wanted to do.

Kenna knew this was Margaery's way of trying to ingratiate herself and ferret out information on the Lannister's plans.

_Well good luck with that, they tell me nothing,_ Kenna thought as she pushed herself from the grassy floor and dusted down her dress.

"Of course Lady Margaery. I can teach you some new dances if you teach me some new ones in return."

She smiled up at Kenna, "Deal. And just call me Margaery."

The next few hours were filled with Margaery and Kenna perfecting footwork and practicing hand positions. Margaery genuinely seemed to be enjoying herself and concentrating on memorising the new moves she was introduced to and in return Kenna put considerable effort into learning the many Highgarden dances Margaery insisted were the most popular in her region. They certainly were the most energetic and sexual dances she had ever tried.

They broke from their practice for a few minutes and Margaery spied Sansa sitting on a bench above them in the courtyard reading a book. Margaery shouted to Sansa to join them and although Sansa looked a bit skittish she put down the book she had been reading and joined them on the now shadowed grass.

Margaery went to Sansa's side, "Lady Kenna I am not sure you have officially met Sansa Lannister which is a scandal since you two are now sisters."

Sansa curtsied to Kenna and Kenna returned the gesture. "My apologies Lady Kenna, I have not had much occasion to venture around the Red Keep."

_Yes,_ thought Kenna. From what she could pick up Sansa rarely left her rooms if she could help it. Kenna was sure avoiding Joffrey was the reason behind Sansa's restricted movements.

Kenna smiled at Sansa. "Well let's change that. Will you join Margery and me in practising some dances?"

Sansa sent them both a shy look. "Oh no you two are much better than me I would only be a pale imitation."

"I am sure that isn't true," Margaery said quickly. "Please join us and maybe you could introduce us to some northern dances."

Sansa really stood no chance of resisting Margaery's sweet charm as the Tyrell beauty took ahold of Sansa's hand. Within a few minutes Sansa was teaching Margaery and Kenna the fast paced moves to the ceilidh dances the North was famous for.

Kenna already knew some of the moves thanks to her time spent at the Twins dancing with Lord Umber and Robb Stark but she let Sansa direct her movements nonetheless. She pushed thoughts of that ill fated night at the Twins out of her mind as she focused on following Sansa's directions and movements.

* * *

Olenna looked down upon her granddaughter, Lady Sansa and the newest addition to the Lannister family as they happily leaped and twirled around each other releasing bursts of joyous laughter as only ladies enjoying themselves could.

Olenna admired her granddaughter's gift at forging bonds with strategically important people and the two Lannister ladies, it seemed were not impervious to her charm. Every swing and bout of laughter showcased Margaery's talent at putting people at ease and building friendships.

Olenna allowed herself to feel proud. Margaery would make a fantastic Queen. She knew how to bring people together.

On the other side of the courtyard stood Lord Varys. He observed the three ladies skip and cavort below him.

_What a powerful trio they would turn out to be if given the time to master their husbands, but would they be given the time? _Varys pondered.

His pondering was interrupted by Lord Tyrion as he stepped beside Varys. "Did I hear my wife laughing?" Tyrion questioned Varys. Surprise laced his words.

"Yes," Varys replied. "Forgive me for saying this my Lord but I do believe that is the first time King's Landing has been treated to Lady Sansa's laughter and may I say it is a lovely sound."

Tyrion couldn't disagree. Sansa's voice was sweet and idyllic when she spoke but her laughter was pure honey and most importantly to Tyrion it was real and uncontrolled. He looked down at his wife. She seemed to be genuinely enjoying the company of Margaery and Kenna. Tyrion saw no reason to interrupt so he continued on with his businesses.

"Lord Varys I need to discuss with you a small matter will you follow me?" Tyrion asked in a quiet voice.

"Of course my Lord, lead on," Varys replied tearing his eyes away from the dancing ladies below.

Once they had ducked into a little alcove out of sight of any onlookers Varys looked at Tyrion expectantly.

Tyrion paced in front of Varys for a few minutes rubbing his hands together as he walked. Finally he came to a stop and clapped his hands together.

"I need help getting someone out of King's Landing and I think you are the man to help me."

Varys remained still, "Well my Lord that would depend on who you want to smuggle out the city."

"Oh I am sure you already know who I mean. Now will you help me? Will you help her?" Tyrion asked keeping the desperation out of his voice but he was sure the Spider already knew how much danger Shae was in and how urgently he needed to get her out of King's Landing.

"I will help _her_ my Lord," Varys started to walk past Tyrion as he added "but you may have to convince her that leaving King's Landing is the best thing for her."

Tyrion was not looking forward to that conversation.

* * *

Over the course of the next month Sansa, Margaery and Kenna practiced almost everyday under the guise of preparing Margaery for her wedding dance with Joffrey. After those practise sessions they all normally took lunch with Lady Olenna Tyrell. Everyone in King's Landing knew that lunch with Olenna Tyrell was never simply just a lunch. It was a time where political seeds were planted and financial harvests were planned.

How they were spending their time didn't go unnoticed.

Cersei sat at her study desk and sipped on a glass of donnish red wine. She couldn't let Margaery, Kenna or Sansa freeze her out from court and that is what they could and would do once they had gotten their claws into their husbands and grown into the game of thrones. Tyrion was already a lost cause but she could still protect Joffrey from Margaery and Jamie had promised her he wouldn't touch Kenna. Cersei smirked, Jamie had been coming to her chambers most nights since his marriage to Kenna but it was always better to take away the uncertainties.

The Dove, the Harlot and the Rebel. They needed to be dealt with before they accumulated anymore power and challenged her position of influence.

Cersei drained the glass and put it down on the table. It was time to show the Seven Kingdoms that House Lannister had no rivals. That she had no rivals.

* * *

_A few days later …._

**The Black Cells, ** ** _Red Keep_ ** **, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Kenna's back rested against the cold wall of Lord Royce's Black Cell. The only light came from the torch Ser Hugh held as he lingered in the doorway to the cell, keeping a watch on the reunion happening in the shadows.

This was the first time Kenna had been granted permission to visit Lord Royce since her wedding day. His beard had grown and his skin had a pale tingle to it. His eyes had now adjusted to the light of the torch and he had hardly taken them off Kenna's face since she had appeared in his cell an hour ago.

Kenna had entwined her right hand with his and was currently leaning her head on Lord Royce's shoulder so it rested in the nook of his neck. They sat on the floor of the cell in silence. Anything of importance they had to say would be most likely be overheard so they had settled for their current position in comfortable silence. Just happy to be in each other's company. But Kenna wanted to hear his voice so she started to talk to the darkness in front of them.

"Joffrey and Margaery are getting married soon. You should see the amount of money the Tyrells and Lannisters are chucking around trying to clean up King's Landing for the guests to the royal wedding. As if polishing a shit would make it look and smell better."

Lord Royce's chest rumbled as he let out a strained laugh. It sounded rusty as if he hadn't used his voice in weeks. Lord Royce cleared his throat with one hearty cough. "A royal wedding is a special occasion. I remember attending Robert and Cersei's wedding."

"You were at Robert's wedding?" Kenna asked, the surprise evident in her tone.

"Yes, with your father. We had just taken King's Landing and Tywin Lannister had just handed Robert the bodies of the dead Targaryen children and a daughter to marry. So there your father and I stood watching a Stag marry a Lion." Lord Royce smiled at the memory. It seemed like such a long time ago that the Realm had known peace.

"Well, now it will be my turn to stand and watch a _Stag _marry a Rose with a Lion by my side," Kenna said in an annoyed tone. She had had enough of wedding talk with her luncheon meetings with the Tyrells. She didn't want to have to pretend to be the interested lady with Lord Royce too.

Lord Royce sensed the shift in her mood and gave her hand a small squeeze while he slightly nudged her shoulder with his own. Kenna responded by burrowing her head further into his neck, closer to his ear.

Kenna said nearly inaudibly, "I am just tired of talking about weddings and I am tired of this place and our situation here. I want to be back in the Eyrie. I want Lysa and Littlefinger dead …. I want to be free again."

Royce brought his other hand to Kenna's face and traced her cheek with his thumb. "I know. I want the same." He paused as if contemplating a question he didn't really want the answer to. "Is your husband treating you well?"

Kenna smiled inwardly, _he is still trying to be my protector even when he is the one locked up_. "He isn't doing anything I don't want," she whispered hoping Lord Royce caught her meaning. He looked puzzled for a few seconds then his face softened at the true meaning behind her words. Lord Royce let out a tired breath and dropped his hand from Kenna's face so that they returned to their original position. Her hand in his and their backs against the cold wall.

Their embrace came to an end when Ser Hugh ventured into the cell. "My apologies for the interruption my Lady but it is late and I am sure your husband is wondering where you are."

_I highly doubt that, _Kenna replied in her head. But she reluctantly separated herself from Lord Royce and rose to a standing position.

Lord Royce copied her movement but used the wall for support. He cursed himself slightly as his limbs refused to move fluidly in synch with his brains commands but bowed to Lady Kenna. Kenna kissed Lord Royce on the cheek once he had straightened up and left the cell with Ser Hugh on her tail.

Kenna walked along the corridor of the Black Cells and made a vow to get Lord Royce out of his prison as soon as possible. A man of honour such as Lord Royce deserved more than to decay and rot in a dark cell for the crime of fighting for justice for his beheaded friend and fighting for his Queen's revenge.

Kenna's thoughts wondered to another man of honour as she strode past the line of Lannister men who were tasked with following her around all day. _I wonder what Robb is doing? _Kenna didn't regret sending Robb back North but the more time she spent in King's Landing the more she realised she missed his naive Northern honesty and sense of unquestionable loyalty.

It was exhausting be in a constant state of alertness. To continually struggle to keep one step ahead of those around you because one false move or slip of the tongue could result in someone you loved being tortured to death.


	24. Duty

* * *

_The next morning …_

**Tyrion'** **s Chambers, ** **Maegor's Holdfast, Red Keep** **, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

"Something tells me you are preoccupied," Tyrion said eyeing the lady sat opposite him.

Kenna looked up from the cyvasse board, "What gives you that impression."

"You left your King unprotected."

Kenna quickly looked down at the cyvasse board to see that she had indeed left her King undefended.

_Fucks sake,_ Kenna chided herself as her face displayed her displeasure at her impending loss. She didn't like losing and she had been on the losing side a lot in the past year. Tyrion would be able to win the game in his next turn. And that is exactly what he did as he nudged his horseman piece towards Kenna's king and toppled it.

Tyrion settled himself in his chair and gave Kenna a direct look.

"If this is how you play cyvasse no wonder my father defeated you at the Eyrie," Tyrion teased playfully.

Kenna smothered the initial instinct to reach out and smack the grin off the little lord opposite her. His smiling face and alert eyes indicated that he was just testing her temper and gauging her reaction to his words.

_Careful little lion, a caged falcon still has sharp talons, _Kenna thought but she knew Tyrion was jesting, it was simply in his nature to prod and infuriate just like it was in hers to defy and frustrate. Kenna could appreciate a sharp mind, especially one that didn't want to kill, imprison or humiliate her.

Kenna stretched out in her chair, "What happened at the Eyrie I couldn't have stopped."

She looked at Tyrion's remaining pieces on the board. His king was protected by two castles in front of it and a light horseman covered the King's left flank.

Kenna reached for Tyrion's two castles,"What happened my Lord, was that my own two castles moved aside and let my enemies in," she moved her own heavy horseman piece to advance on Tyrion's king through the gap of the moved castles and then my own piece stabbed me in the back," Kenna moved Tyrion's light horseman piece so that it toppled his king. That is what happened," Kenna said trying to keep the anger inside. "Your father didn't defeat me, he simply claimed the victory from a foe already on their knees."

Tyrion had observed and nodded at Kenna's little demonstration but it still didn't explain why she had lost _this_ cyvasse game so badly.

"Yes, my father is quite good at getting people on their knees without actually doing anything but that isn't what is troubling you now. Want to talk about it?" Tyrion inquired with a smile on his face.

Kenna looked at Tyrion. Since her arrival in King's Landing Tyrion was the Lannister she had spent most time with despite being married to his brother. But Kenna wasn't sure if they were at the stage where they divulged their true feelings to one another. King's Landing seemed to punish the truth not reward it. And the truth was that Kenna was no closer to an escape plan than she had been on her first day in King's Landing and her goal of killing Lysa and Litterfinger for their murders of her father and sister seemed so far away. Her lack of progress on each objective was weighing on her and Tyrion had picked up on it.

Kenna decided on telling a half truth. "I feel trapped."

Tyrion brought his hands together and took a few moments to ponder his response. "You think that King's Landing is your prison?"

"Isn't it?" Kenna replied, her dismay evident in her tone.

Tyrion leaned forward in his chair as he answered Kenna. "Yes the walls of King's Landing and my father's men may be keeping you here my Lady but the worst prisons are not constructed of wood and stone. They are carved out of expectations and lies, judgement and corruption."

"Sounds like you are in a prison as well my Lord, just a different kind of one," Kenna responded, eyeing Tyrion's reaction to her words.

Tyrion started to pack away the cyvasse pieces avoiding Kenna's scrutinising eyes. "Most of us are imprisoned by something, my Lady. Just because you can't see the bars doesn't mean you aren't trapped."

"Wise words, my Lord." Kenna murmured as she looked out the window to see storm clouds on the horizon. "I am glad I didn't have you thrown out the moon door."

"Me too," Tyrion said quickly. "Is that your normal response to dealing with someone that isn't cooperating with you? Have them killed."

Kenna let out a laugh, remembering how singleminded she had been when handling Tyrion's trial. She had wanted blood that day. She still wanted blood now.

"No, you were a special case, you could have been my father's murderer. Although I have found over the past few years that there are two ways of dealing with men. Either you treat them with respect, or you kill them. Anything in between merely breeds resentment."

"Oh well you have tried to kill me, should I expect another attempt on my life?" Tyrion asked half joking half serious.

Kenna smiled at Tyrion's slight trepidation. _He is smart enough to still see me as a threa_t, _I wonder what else he sees, maybe a potential ally? _Kenna turned her head away from the oncoming storm to answer the little Lord.

"No, I think I will try to treat you with respect," Kenna stated.

"Well you would be the only one to do so," Tyrion said behind a chuckle.

At that moment two Lannister guards appeared through Tyrion's door and in-between them stood a stooped Grand Maester Pycelle.

"My Lord, My Lady," Pycelle's hoarse voice greeted them as he directed his next words at Kenna. "Might I have a few minutes of your time to discuss a matter?"

"Of course," Kenna said. But as she rose from her chair Kenna shot Tyrion a suffering look, indicating that she would rather not talk to Pycelle at all.

Before she exited the room, Tyrion's high-spirited voice reached her, "Do let me know when you have picked yourself up off your knees my Lady. And please come back anytime, I like winning at cyvasse."

Kenna turned in the doorway, "Of course my Lord, and let me know when you have escaped your family's expectations and lies."

Tyrion didn't have a chance to reply as the door to his chambers banged shut.

_Mmm she has a tongue on her, _Tyrion thought as he continued to stare at the door Kenna had just disappeared behind_. Cersei is going to hate her even more when they actually stop ignoring each other and are forced to have a conversation. _

Tyrion joyfully imagined the scenario, in his version there were many loud harsh words, wine was thrown, and a few sharp slaps would connect before the guards would pull the two feral woman from each other. When the day came that his sister and good sister did battle Tyrion wasn't going to miss a word, he just hoped he would be sober enough to remember it.

* * *

_A few minutes later …._

**Pycelle's Chambers, Red Keep, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

"If you take another step towards me I will scratch your eyes out," Kenna's furious tone echoed around the chamber.

"I am just doing what has been asked of me my Lady," Pycelle said as he watched Kenna nervously.

"Who asked you to sully my honour as a Lady," demanded Kenna.

"Lord Tywin."

_Of course,_ thought Kenna. "And why did he ask you?"

"He inquired if you were with child, I said you weren't and he asked me to check if you were still a virgin."

_Fuck. If Pycelle checks my maidenhood he is going to find it still intact and run off to Tywin to inform him that his son isn't doing his duty. SHIT, _Kenna screamed to herself.

"I don't trust you, nor will I let you near me. I ask for Qyburn to examine me," Kenna forcefully requested.

"What, you want that fiend to examine you," exclaimed Pycelle. "He was thrown out the citadel, he isn't even a maester."

"And yet he is who I want" Kenna reiterated.

"I don't think it matters who you want," Pycelle replied boldly.

Kenna took a step towards him. "And I don't think there has ever been a Grand Maester who has fulfilled his post without any eyes," Kenna threatened.

Pycelle gulped and took a few steps back towards the door where two Lannister guards were stationed. "I will consult with Lord Tywin," he said while backing out the door.

_Yes, you do that Grand Maester Pycelle,_ Kenna thought fiercely as she seated herself near the window in the room so she could look out onto King's Landing. The storm clouds were still gathering off the coast of the city.

Kenna didn't know what storm she would rather face the one about to hit King's Landing or the one Tywin Lannister would bring to her over the state of her marriage to Jamie.

* * *

_A few minutes later …._

**Throne room, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Tywin glared at his grandson as he slouched on the Iron throne. He hadn't felt this infuriated with someone's lack of common sense and competence since Aerys had gotten himself captured during the Defiance of Duskendale.

Tywin controlled his temper and managed to maintain a reasonable volume on his words. "You can't sentence someone to death for the crime of boring you. You will order Ser Dontos's release immediately."

"He is my court jester and he was boring the court," Joffrey stated as if it was a simple equation. "He failed in his duties and failure in my kingdom is punished by death."

Tywin resisted the urge to grab Joffrey by the shoulders and shake some sense into him. "Joffrey, you can't just execute people who displease you. It sets a bad precedent and sets the court's tongues wagging."

And once the tongues had stopped wagging there would most likely be a plan in place to remove Joffrey from power. This boy had no idea the consequences his actions could have.

"If I don't like the words coming out of their mouths then I will have their wagging tongues removed," bellowed Joffrey at his grandfather, getting fed up with his latest lecture.

"I would advise against that," Tywin replied sternly.

"I am the KING! I will do what I want," Joffrey yelled and fixed Tywin with a murderous glare. Maybe it was time to find a new Hand of the King.

Tywin matched Joffrey's stare and walked up the remaining steps to the throne before he said in a sharp tone, "Any man who must say I am the King is no true King."

The silence that followed would have consumed most men but Joffrey and Tywin were not most men. Cracks in Joffrey's composure were beginning to show as his fingers started to fidgeted with the metal arms of the throne but he was saved from having to reply to his grandfather when the main door to the throne room creaked slightly open to reveal Pycelle.

_Gods what does he want_, Tywin brought his hand to the bridge of his nose.

"What," Tywin snapped at the old maester across the throne room.

"Um my Lord, your Grace" Pycelle's fumbling words only just reached Tywin from the other end of the hall.

Tywin had waded through enough incompetence for one day, he practically charged at Pycelle leaving his grandson fuming on the throne.

"Yes," Tywin said once he had closed the distance between himself and Pycelle.

"Ah its .. about what you asked me to do earlier … Lady Kenna," Pycelle mumbled.

"Spit it out, I don't have all day," Tywin snapped.

"She refused to be examined by me, in fact she threatened to scratch my eyes out, very unlady like if you ask me," Pycelle muttered.

Tywin remained silent but he could understand Kenna's desire to hurt the old codger in front of him. If Pycelle took much longer to get to the point he might find that it wouldn't be a falcon scratching out his eyes but a lion.

Pycelle straightened himself out, "She asked for Qyburn to conduct the examination, Gods knows why he is hardly better than a street practitioner."

Tywin knew why.

Kenna and Qyburn had a prior friendship before they both found themselves in King's Landing. Tywin would indulge Kenna's wish but if she thought she could exploit her friendship with Qyburn to lie for her she would have one less friend in King's Landing to ask favours from.

"Fetch Qyburn and send him to my study, I will talk to him before he attends to Lady Kenna."

Tywin made his way to the exit not bothering to hear Pycelle's reply or turn around to bow to his King. If he had he might have seen the look of utter hatred and madness on his grandson's face.

* * *

About half an hour later there was a light knock at the door and a Lannister solider opened the door to reveal Qyburn. He bowed to Kenna and walked into Pycelle's chambers. The door was promptly closed leaving only Qyburn and Kenna in the room.

"Lady Kenna you asked for me."

"Yes and I presume you know why?"

Qyburn looked to his feet. "Yes Lord Tywin informed me that he wants confirmation that your marriage has been consummated but that you didn't … feel comfortable with Pycelle performing the examination."

Kenna saw the discomfort in Qyburn's shifty frame. Was he anxious about the task he had been asked to do or had Tywin said something to him. Kenna settled on it being the latter.

"Qyburn, what did Lord Tywin say to you?" Kenna asked softly.

Qyburn raised his head and Kenna saw the troubled look on his face. "He said that he was aware of our prior … friendship and that if he suspected that I was lying to him he would get Pycelle to do another examination to confirm what I would report back to him. And that if I lied he would put my head on a pike."

_Tywin threatened him that is why he is so twitchy. Well more twitchy than normal, _Kenna thought.

Qyburn had saved Kenna from the Mountain, it would be a poor reward if Kenna got him killed. And for what? To hide the fact that Tywin's golden boy fucks his daughter and his daughter only. That wasn't a secret Kenna wanted to keep anyway and she certainly wasn't going to risk Qyburn's life for it.

Kenna took a step towards Qyburn and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Please don't worry, I won't ask you to lie for me. Especially when the truth is so easy to confirm. Tell Lord Tywin that my maidenhead is still intact. No need to examine me."

Qyburn nodded. Relived that he wouldn't have to lie and risk the wrath of Lord Tywin.

"How is Artys," Kenna asked concern etched into her face.

"He is coping with his relocation to King's Landing very well and I believe he is enjoying being my assistant, even if my work is suffering."

Kenna looked expectantly at Qyburn.

"Artys has the tendency to mix things he should not, I have already had to move laboratories because he set a small amount of wildfire off and it destroyed half my experiments," Qyburn said in light tone smiling at the memory.

Kenna smiled too, Arty's did have a knack at causing accidents.

"I have another matter you could help me with," Kenna said.

"Yes, my Lady," Qyburn replied earnestly.

"I need you to search the graveyards around King's Landing."

"An odd request, my Lady. Am I searching for one in particular?" He asked as his brows knitted together.

"Yes, one that has an unusually high amount of young children in it." Kenna paused as if debating with herself to provide anymore information. "The dead children I am looking for won't have tongues."

Qyburn was clearly confused as to why Kenna would be interested in graveyards that contained a high amount of dead children that had no tongues but his place wasn't to question her commands. But he was very interest in what his answer would mean to her.

"You may go now Qyburn and tell Lord Tywin your discovery but don't forget about my request," Kenna said, not giving Qyburn any more information to go on.

Qyburn bowed and scurried from the room.

Kenna walked over to the seat by the window but instead of looking out the window she closed her eyes. She had to prepare for the lion that was sure to appear through the door any minute and roar in her face.

* * *

Tywin marched through the corridors of the Red Keep flanked by his house guards. Servants and nobles alike dashed out of the way of the advancing Lord. When he reached his destination he told his guards to stay behind him. He didn't want any witnesses for the conversation he was about to have. Tywin forced himself to stop grinding his jaw before he placed his hand on the door and pushed.

Tywin stepped through the door and eyed the lady sitting by the window. Her eyes were closed.

_Just because you can't see me doesn't mean I am not here, _Tywin mused.

The sound of the door slamming closed alerted Kenna and her eyes snapped opened.

Tywin saw the momentary pause as Kenna decided whether to meet Tywin front on or let him come to her. He watched as she rose from her chair and walked slowly but steadily towards him. Tywin was use to chasing his prey but this prey had just walked directly up to him.

Tywin's eyes followed her as she advanced on his position and a ghost of a grin settled on Tywin's face,_ she doesn't realise that she is my prey. It is not in her nature to see herself as the hunted one._

Kenna did a halfhearted curtsey, "My Lord."

Tywin responded with a slight nod but kept his gaze on her face.

She knew what this conversation would be about, she knew Tywin would be displeased with her lack of progress in the bedroom but there was no hint of fear in her face. And that infuriated Tywin.

Tywin's deep voice cut through the imposing silence. "You think this is a game? That I won't carry out my threats."

"Why should I start working on my promise when you have not?" Kenna retorted.

Tywin took a step towards Kenna and roughly grabbed her forearm, "I have already set in motion Lysa Arryn and Baelish's downfall, I suggest you do the same with your end of the bargain."

_Do I believe that?_ Kenna questioned herself. Kenna took a deep breath, it didn't matter either way she couldn't keep her end of the bargain. Ignoring the bruising grip Tywin had on her she readied herself. _He will find out sooner rather than later. I just hope he doesn't blame the messenger._

"What if Jamie doesn't want to bed me?" Kenna asked in a cautious voice.

Tywin blinked once, "And why wouldn't he want to bed you?" He hadn't been expecting that response.

Kenna remained silent regretting directing this conversation down the route it had taken. Tywin dragged Kenna by her forearm closer to him totally eliminating the space between them.

"Why wouldn't my son bed you?" Tywin asked again. "You are young, highborn, and pleasing on the eye. There is no reason for my son to rebuff you."

_Was that a compliment? _Kenna joked to herself. But the serious expression on Tywin's face sobered her to the reality of the conversations subject matter. She decided to avoid giving him an answer.

"Why don't you ask your son?" Kenna replied when she had found her voice.

Tywin stared down at her, she seemed uncomfortable but whether that was because of the topic being discussed or his ironlike grip on her forearm Tywin did not know. He could feel his anger rising. Nothing was ever simple or went to plan in this bloody city. He decided the best way forward on this particular issue was to pressure her weak point.

Tywin let go of Kenna and she snatched back her arm and rubbed it gently where Tywin had placed his hand.

"I expect good news in the coming months my Lady," Tywin said as he walked towards the door and before he turned the handle he threw over his shoulder, "don't disappoint me my Lady, Lord Royce will not appreciate my reaction if you do."

Tywin exited the room and missed the look of daggers that Kenna was sending straight into his back.

* * *

_Later that afternoon …._

**Roof of the Tower of the Hand, ** ** _Red Keep_ ** **, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Kenna looked out over King's Landing. She could see the various colours of different houses, great and small, advancing on the walls of King's Landing. If only they were here to invade King's Landing, not celebrate the royal wedding.

Kenna pushed herself from her sitting position and started to pace around the roof. Lord Tywin's words had stuck with her all afternoon.

_"__I have already set in motion Lysa Arryn and Baelish's downfall,"_ his deep voice reverberated around Kenna's skull.

_How? What have you done?_ _What are you planning?_ Kenna directed her thoughts to the rooftop door that was her current stand-in for the Old Lion. The oak door, much like Tywin would have done, gave nothing away. Kenna let out a growl of frustration as her mind plucked another set of Tywin's words from her memory.

_"_ _I expect good news in the coming months my Lady."_

Kenna's thoughts swirled around in her head as she sped up her pacing and circled.

_How in the Seven Hells am I going to get pregnant with a Lannister child? That golden prick of a Kingslayer is more interested in fucking his own sister who would probably kill me before I could even give birth to any Lannister heir. _

Kenna hands clasped together under her nose as she calmed herself down and stilled to look out into King's Landing. After a minute her gaze went from below her to above. Balerion was happily flying around the towers of the Red Keep. _He must feel so free, being able to take flight whenever he wants,_ Kenna thought.

Kenna loved being outside and feeling the wind against her cheek. At this height there certainly was a strong current of wind that swept past the Tower of the Hand. Kenna's mind recalled another time that she had stood on this very same roof and braved those very same gust of winds.

Her sister had still been alive. Her father had still been alive. She had been running from her father's decision to send her to Winterfell but her sister had found her and arguably the decision that had impacted their lives the most had been made on this very roof top. The decision to swap destinies, for Alyssa to go to Winterfell instead and Kenna to remain in King's Landing; for Alyssa to die at the Eyrie and Kenna to fight on in King's Landing. .

Kenna heard the door behind her open. She turned expecting Ser Hugh to try to drag her back inside but was confronted by Ser Meryn's stoney face instead.

"Can I help you Ser," Kenna asked not sure why the Kingsguard was present.

"Yes, I have a message from Queen Cersei."

_Oh this is going to be good, _thought Kenna.

"Have you heard of the song, Rains of Castermere?" He said behind a sinister grin.

There was no noble alive that didn't know that song.

"No, I am afraid I haven't heard of it," Kenna smiled back at the huge knight.

Ser Meryn paused as if he hadn't considered Kenna saying no at this point.

"Maybe if you sing it I would recognise it?" Kenna said sweetly, as her eyes mocked him.

Ser Meryn took a few marauding steps towards Kenna and she instinctively countered his advance by backing further towards the wall ledge, noting how his face had darkened at her words and became acutely aware that Ser Hugh was waiting for her in the stairwell and had no line of sight to where she was.

Ser Meryn's large legs swallowed the distance between them and he towered over her as the edge of the ledge bit into Kenna's hip as she rested her hands on it.

"Queen Cersei knows you threatened her," Ser Meryn said down to her.

_So Jamie told the bitch of our little chat when Robb held him captive,_ Kenna deduced. This development was not conducive for Kenna's future, as Jamie had said people who threatened Cersei didn't tend to last long in the capital.

Kenna ignored the warning signs that Ser Meryn's body posture was giving off, too absorbed in poking the bear and having her fun. "Yes, but if you want details you are going to have to be more specific. I have threatened Cersei multiple times," Kenna said playfully, wondering where this conversation was going.

She needn't have wondered. There wasn't going to be much of a conversation.

Ser Meryn struck out with one of his hands and landed a loud slap across Kenna's face. Before Kenna had time to come back to her senses the brute of a Kingsguard had pushed the upper half of her body over the ledge and held her legs and hips in place on the flat surface of the ledge. Normally Kenna would have tried to wriggle out of the offending and indecent hold the Kingsguard had on her but an uncomfortable hold from this man was much preferable to a hard landing on the streets of the Red Keep.

"It is _Queen Cersei_," the knighted thug spat.

"You have my attention Ser," Kenna managed to say as her stomach muscles strained to keep her head level with Ser Meryn's.

"The message is that Queen Cersei could have you killed at any moment so don't displease her."

"And what would you say when my body is found splattered on the stone floor of the Red Keep and you are found up here?" Kenna questioned as the wind flowed around her.

He adjusted his grip on Kenna's thighs, "That you jumped and I wasn't quick enough to stop you, you do have a history of attempting suicide."

_A made-up history,_ Kenna snarled to herself as the pain of Ser Meryn's backhanded slap started to make itself known. She desperately wished she had her hidden blades on her. If she survived this encounter her blades were going to be permanently stuck on her wrists_._

"Fine message received, now either throw me off this damned roof or reel me back in," Kenna said in an angry tone letting her frustrations from earlier show. She didn't have time for threats. Threats were warnings. Giving your opponent warnings meant you weren't quite willing or able to crush them yet.

_Cersei can't hurt me as long as Tywin Lannister still needs me for his bloody legacy,_ Kenna corrected herself, _as long as he thinks I can provide him with a legacy_. She still had work to do on that score.

Ser Meryn grabbed one of Kenna's hands that had clung to the edge of the ledge and hauled her body back over so she could stand once again. Ser Meryn gave Kenna a menacing glance telling her he would have gladly thrown her from the roof.

He took a few steps back towards the door to the stairwell. A split second later a flurry of black feathers descended on Ser Meryn's face and his cries of pain filled the air.

Ser Hugh appeared in the doorway. _Where were you when I needed help, _huffed Kenna.

Ser Meryn swiped at the air in front of him but Balerion was too quick to be caught and had sprung away once again to fly safely around the towers.

Ser Hugh looked at Kenna, she had an oddly satisfied smile on her face as she walked past the Kingsguard who was now tending to the bloody mess that was his face. Balerion's talons had left three massive gashes across his face.

"My Lady, are you okay," Ser Hugh enquired as she walked past him, ducking into the stairwell.

"Yes, Ser Meryn just had a message from the Queen for me," Kenna said as she descended the stairs.

"And your bird, why did it attack Ser Meryn?" Ser Hugh inquired as he followed Kenna down the stairs. Ser Meryn forgotten behind them.

"Because Balerion had a message for Ser Meryn from me." _Fuck your threats._

Ser Hugh didn't respond to that as they passed the door to the Hand's chambers. Ser Hugh made extra effort to remembered every detail from this encounter so he could relay it all back to Lord Tywin later. A run in with a Kingsguard was definitely something Lord Tywin would want to know about, especially if that particular Kingsguard was in the pocket of his daughter.


	25. Web of Lies

* * *

_The next morning …_

**Tyrion's Chambers, Maegor's Holdfast, Red Keep, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Tyrion stood at his window watching the ships sail away from King's Landing. Bronn had assured him that Shae was on one of them. The stinging sensation in his cheek still indicated what Shae thought of being sent away. Tyrion was okay with Shae's wrath as it meant she would still be alive and have a life. It just wouldn't be with him in King's Landing.

Now Shae was safe Tyrion could really focus his energy on outfoxing his sister and her bastard as well as avoiding his father's ire without worrying about Shae's safety.

Tyrion turned away from the window and reached for his half empty wine cup. As he brought the cup to his mouth he caught a glimpse of Sansa in the other room. She was reading. He sighed. She was always reading. _If she didn't have tits she would probably be accepted into the Citadel, _Tyrion mused. Tyrion doubted the answer to her predicament in King's Landing, and indeed his own, would be found in any book. It appears she agreed with him as in the next minute she put the book down and walked out of Tyrion's view.

Tyrion returned his thoughts to himself. His father's attempt to mould Joffrey into a half decent King was failing as Tyrion knew it would. Even the great Tywin Lannister couldn't change Joffrey. A cunt will always be a cunt. Tyrion swirled the wine around in his cup, he needed to be one step ahead of that situation when it all fell apart.

His thoughts shifted to his siblings. Cersei and Jamie's plan seemed to be holding so far. Their relationship hadn't been discovered, Cersei and Kenna had managed to avoid each other and Jamie's throat was still intact. Tyrion didn't know for how much longer all three circumstances would remain as they were.

But that was a problem for another day. Tyrion had a royal wedding to finance, a war effort to maintain and practically no money in the royal coffers to do either. He also had a meeting with Olenna Tyrell to discuss the crown's finances. Tyrion closed his eyes in frustration, he would rather Shae slapped him a few dozen times than attend that meeting and have to endure the Queen of Thorns barbed words.

* * *

At the same time ….

**Courtyard, ** ** _Red Keep_ ** **, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

"That is the fifth time in as many minutes you have looked at that doorway," Kenna said as she finished her stretches and followed Margaery's focus and looked at the entrance to the Courtyard.

"Sansa's late, she is never late," Margaery replied, worry written all over her face.

"Let's look for her then," Kenna said before shouting to Ser Hugh who stood in the shadows of the Courtyard, "Ser Hugh I am enlisting you and your merry band to go on a search party."

Ser Hugh walked across the courtyard to the two Ladies. "And who would we be searching for?"

"Sansa Lannister, she is late for our dance lesson. I suggest we comb the corridors between here and her rooms."

Ser Hugh bowed and started issuing orders to the dozen or so Lannister soldiers who had previously been trying not to ogle Margaery and Kenna as they had warmed up.

As the Lannister men started to dissipated from the Courtyard Kenna turned to Margaery, "Having Lord Lannister's watchful dogs on me does have its perks."

Margaery nodded knowingly and the two ladies started to walk towards Sansa's chambers, with Ser Hugh following a few steps behind them. They made it halfway to Sansa's chambers before Margaery suddenly stopped.

"What is it?" Kenna asked.

"I thought I could hear sobbing."

Kenna stilled too and strained her hearing. She couldn't hear anything, but Kenna was sure Margaery had an ear for picking up quiet conversations and overhearing gossip so she didn't doubt that she had heard something.

Ser Hugh was about to usher the ladies on when a clear scream echoed around their corridor. Kenna and Margaery exchanged a worry glance, they knew who's screams they were.

_Sansa's in trouble,_ Kenna thought.

Kenna sprung into action and started to run in the direction the shriek had come from. She skidded around a corner to see Ser Meryn Trant holding Sansa against the wall with one hand pinning her at her throat. As she sprinted closer she could see Joffrey behind Ser Meryn Trant and he had a nasty grin on his face as he was directing some sharp sounding words to the helpless red head.

Kenna didn't slow down as she approached the distracted men, instead she barrelled straight into Ser Meryn Trant who released Sansa so he could maintain his balance and his hand went immediately to the sword resting at his hip. When he saw Kenna on the floor he tightened his grip. The gashes in his face were still fresh and a reminder of what had happened in their last encounter.

Kenna looked up at the two men and the sobbing girl who had sunk down the wall to the floor. Kenna rose from the ground and dusted herself off.

"Sorry your Grace, I didn't mean to interrupt I wasn't looking where I was going," Kenna said trying to sound as innocent and naïve as possible.

"Clearly," Joffrey snapped. "I was in the middle of teaching my dear Aunt a lesson but maybe I could also teach you one. You are my Aunt as well." Joffrey said with real anger in his voice as he took a meaningful step towards Kenna. He was about to unleash that anger on Kenna when he saw Margaery and Ser Hugh coming down the corridor.

"My love, what is happening here," Margaery directed at Joffrey in a particularly sweet voice.

_Oh she is good. _Kenna mentally applauded Margaery's tone and words. Margaery was a manipulative bitch but she was currently on Kenna's side so she appreciated the tactful way the soon-to-be Queen was distracting the little twat of a King from the cowering redhead on the floor.

Sansa had managed to contain her sobs but her face was wet with tears and she was avoiding all eye contact.

"It appears Lady Kenna wasn't looking where she was going and ran into Lady Sansa, my Kingsguard was just helping her to her feet," Joffrey snapped his fingers and Ser Meryn picked Sansa roughly off the floor.

_Really, and why was she screaming before I even got here. Idiot. He can't even come up with decent lies, _Kenna scoffed to herself.

Margaery hid her doubt from her face well and glided over to Joffrey. "I seem to remember you saying you would give me a tour of the catacombs under the Great Sept of Baelor."

"You want to go now?" Joffrey said as he eyed Sansa who was still in Ser Meryn's grip.

Margaery smiled at her betrothed. "Oh I insist, if you are not too busy your Grace."

"Fine, it is this way my Lady," Joffrey said, clearly disappointed to not finished what he had started.

Joffrey stuck out an arm that Margaery took and in the next breath they glided past Ser Hugh and left the corridor with Ser Meryn trailing them. As the Kingsguard passed Kenna he gave her an intense look of hatred, which Kenna returned in equal measure.

Kenna looked at Sansa who hadn't moved since being hauled off the floor by Ser Meryn Trant. Her tears had dried and her eyes where now cold and distant.

"Ser Hugh will you please escort us to Qyburn's chambers. I think Lady Sansa needs a calming draught made."

He nodded. Kenna entwined her arm in Sansa's and they followed Ser Hugh.

Kenna discreetly leaned towards Sansa and whispered into her ear. "Sansa, you need to know that Margaery and myself will always try to protect you."

With the full might of winter in her beautiful blue eyes Sansa replied, "But who will protect you two?"

"We will protect each other," Kenna replied firmly.

_And failing that we will kill everyone who hurt us, _Kenna thought with real venom_. _When the tides of power had turned in her favour, and Kenna had no doubt they would, there would be no room for men who hurt little girls. This Kenna swore to the Mother.

She just had to survive a little longer. But her impatience was beginning to show and Tywin Lannister was demanding she fulfil her promise.

* * *

_An hour later …._

**Gardens, Red Keep, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

"I didn't think you were one to appreciate the beauty of flowers," a soft voice came from behind Kenna.

"I am not. I appreciate quiet places away from prying ears and eyes," Kenna replied without looking behind her.

Lord Varys appeared at her shoulder. "The gardens is not such a place, might I suggest a walk to make Cersei's spies actually work to hear our words."

"Very well, let's walk," Kenna agreed as she shifted her gaze from the colourful flowers in front of her to the eunuch's disarming face.

Lord Varys and Kenna did a few laps of the gardens in silence as they tried to identify Cersei's spies.

"What is your verdict my Lord?" Kenna whispered.

"I miss Littlefinger. He at least hired competent spies. Cersei's are a poor imitation," Varys replied in a disappointed tone. "My little birds will take care of them," he said as he made eye contact with a group of children who had gathered under a tree's shade. They immediately burst into action running around a few gossiping noble women, grabbing at their jewellery and ripping their dresses in their attempts to steal anything of value.

"This way my Lady," Varys said as he ushered Kenna thought a gate that was hidden behind some overgrown vines.

No-one saw them leave.

All the eyes in the garden were focused on the ruckus of the noble women trying to fend off the street children. Kenna and Varys ambled down the hidden pathway from the garden until they hit the outer wall of King's Landing and a rather stunning view of the ocean.

* * *

Kenna leaned on the outer wall, taking in the view and watching a few ships leaving King's Landing. _Lucky sods_, Kenna thought of the people onboard the departing ships.

"Can we talk now my Lord?" Kenna asked as her eyes jumped from ship to ship.

"Yes no-one will hear us now," Varys said positioning himself next to Kenna.

"Any word of Stannis's whereabouts?"

"No word yet."

Kenna shook her head. "Do you expect me to believe that? You, Lord of Whispers have no idea where Stannis took his men and ships. An armada isn't something that is easy to hide."

Varys shifted to face Kenna directly, "From what I do hear, maybe you are better placed to know where he is heading, it is after all your men and ships that he sails with."

Kenna smirked, _the Spider is finally coming out to play. _

"My men know better than to try to contact me while I am in …. enemy territory. Any message they would send me your little birds would intercept."

"Very true," Lord Varys acknowledged. "Perhaps I don't know where Stannis has gone because he is still trying to get to his destination."

"You think he has been sailing for the past month," Kenna stated.

There were only a few places that were more than a months sailing from Dragonstone. And they were all east of Westeros. Kenna and Varys remained in silence as Kenna tried to decipher Stannis's movements and Varys focused his mind on the Lady currently standing to his side. Varys drummed his fingers on the wall top as if revising a decision made long ago.

"Lady Kenna, I like to pride myself on being a good judge of character. When I saw you as a child I dismissed you." Varys waved one hand in the air, "Just another quiet little girl that this macabre world would swallow up and eat whole. Maybe you would end up as some wife to an important man ….. but here you are the _bloody falcon_, would-be Queen over the Mountain and Vale, survivor of the Red Weddings, the least interesting thing about you is the fact you are married to Jamie Lannister. I was clearly mistaken when I saw you ….. or something changed that little girl I saw."

Kenna let the wind run through her hair and she gave her next words some consideration.

"The moment I saw what Euron Greyjoy had done to my sister, the little girl in me died replaced by a cold-blooded killer."

Varys stored the look of pain that flittered across Kenna's face at the mention of her sister. It was always useful to understand people's weaknesses and how Kenna's sister's life played out was obviously one of hers.

"Killing a person is a terrible thing, my lad-"

Kenna turned on Varys, tired of the game they were playing. "Do you think you are not a killer because you don't kill them yourself?"

"Kill who?" Varys asked as he gave no indication that Kenna's words had unsettled him.

Kenna narrowed her eyes at the eunuch, "Where do your little birds go when they are no longer little?

Varys quickly replied, "I send them back to Essos with a well deserved bag of gold dragons for their service to the realm."

Kenna scoffed loudly, a well rehearsed lie.

"Lord Varys the eunuch, no children of his own, no legacy to leave behind. The Lords and Ladies of the court think that you are no threat to them. They can't work out your motive for the things that you do."

"Can you my Lady?" He replied with a note of a challenge in his voice.

"No" Kenna conceded. "But I know you are dangerous. You play the helpful friend to the helpless. The man that wouldn't hurt a fly. But that isn't true. You are a spider, you spin your web of lies and you wait to see what you catch."

Kenna voice had started to raise in volume but she checked herself, her hands roamed over the top of the stone wall in front of her as if she had too much energy to stay still. She turned to Varys before continuing.

"Where are the little birds that were present the night my father was murdered. I would like to talk to them."

Varys shrugged his shoulders, "As I said, when my little birds grow up I send them back to Essos."

Kenna let out an annoyed hiss, "You are lying to me Lord Varys."

Varys raised his eyebrows at the direct accusation, normally he was use to dodging sly implications and veiled threats. "Am I?"

"Yes, your little birds never get to grow up. You have them killed before they become old enough to turn on you and reveal your secrets." Varys started to speak but Kenna cut him off. "Don't try to deny it, an associate of mine found your preferred choice of dumping ground for your little birds."

Varys remained silent for a few seconds then gave up the pretence of innocence. "Not everything I do is pleasant but it is all necessary, I assure you my Lady."

"And for whom is it necessary?"

Varys looked straight into Kenna's eyes before replying,"For the realm."

"The realm," Kenna said slowly as her fingers tapped against the flat surface of the wall she was currently leaning forward onto, "is that your motive? Do you do the things that you do for the good of the realm?"

"For the people of the realm, yes. And why do you do the things you do my Lady?" Varys asked eager to turn the focus of the conversation back on Kenna.

"For revenge," Kenna stated in a firm tone as she looked out into the sea.

"Not justice?"

"I wanted to get justice but I have come to the realisation that there is no such thing as justice, all the best we can hope for is revenge."

"So you don't believe in forgiving your enemies then?" Varys asked.

"Oh I do Lord Varys, I believe we should forgive our enemies, just not before they are executed," Kenna said with conviction.

"Oh I am sure Littlefinger and Ser Meryn are quaking in their boots," Varys chuckled. "I think you have spent too long in King's Landing my Lady. I am afraid this city had jaded your view of the world and of people."

"I disagree, my view of this world, of this realm was jaded in Pyke, in the Eyrie and in King's Landing the first time I was here. I am sure where ever I travel in this shit world there will be more misery and despair that hope and happiness."

They both remained stilled for a few moments, letting the coastal wind whip around them. Varys broke their silent truce.

"What do you intend to do with your knowledge of my little birds?"

"Nothing, no-one cares about dead orphans." Kenna took a step away from the wall towards the smiling man. "I was making a point Lord Varys. I don't like being lied to and you aren't the only one capable of finding out the truth. Now that there are no false perceptions between us what did you seek me out for?"

Varys smiled politely, _to business then._ "I want to know your intentions in King' Landing. It clearly isn't to be the well behaved wife of Jamie Lannister."

"My intentions are my own. Why would I share them with you?" Kenna questioned as she leaned back on the wall giving Varys her full attention.

"Because maybe I could help you achieve your goals and aims in this city?"

"When I think you are the man for the job I'll find you."

Varys understood her reluctance to ask for his help. Trust is not an easy flower to get to bloom in King's Landing.

"Let me give you a piece of advice my Lady. Do not give up on achieving justice. Justice is making them pay for your father's and sister's death. Revenge is making them pay for the pain they have put you through. Don't let your own pain overshadow the deaths of your father and sister. Revenge is easier to achieve but the satisfaction fades. Getting justice is different. The feeling of … completeness never fades."

Kenna thought through his words, _I wonder who he got his justice on._ Kenna was engrossed in the hidden meaning in all that they had spoken about she didn't notice when Lord Varys slipped from her view and disappeared back into the Red Keep. No doubt he would replaying their conversation over in his head as much as Kenna would.

* * *

_At the same time …._

** _The Stoney Shore, West coast of the North, a weeks ride from Winterfell, Seat of power of House Stark in the North, Capital of the Kingdom of the North_ **

* * *

Robb looked across the beach at the twenty or so Ironborn that stood a few metres in front of the small boat that had been dragged onto the sandy shores. Beyond the beach a few Greyjoy ships loomed in the background.

Robb separated himself from his own small party of northern men and met Yara Greyjoy in between the two sides.

"I want my brother's body," she gruffly said.

"And I want the raids on my west coast to stop," Robb responded.

Yara nodded in agreement, "Fine give me back my brother's body and I will take my men and ships to new pastures."

Robb signalled to his men who started to push a covered cart towards him.

"Your brother's body is in there," Robb said pointing to the advancing cart. "What guarantees do I have that you won't simply start raiding the North again?"

"Absolutely none pretty boy," Yara said as she took a step towards the cart and started to bend down to take the cover off the cart.

"I thought that would be the case," Robb said softly before yelling, "NOW."

Yara immediately reached for the sword at her hip but before she could pull it from its sheath the Hound burst out of the cart and head-butted her.

Her world went black for a moment and when she could focus again her men were dead, the boat that had brought them ashore was in flames and her hands were bound behind her.

Robb walked up to the bleeding woman and looked down at her. "I have a way to stop your men raiding my shores again. Because if they do I won't just send Balon his son's body I'll send him his daughter's too."

"You fucking bastard, my ships will ravish your coast and when news of my capture reaches my father he will invade the North with the full might of the Iron Islands," Yara yelled as she tried to charge Robb but the Hound held her in place as Arya appeared by his side and brought a small sword to the captured woman's throat.

_Where the fuck did you come from,_ Robb thought as he eyed his little sister.

Arya shrugged off her brother's look. "The Hound told me your plan, I wanted to make sure it worked," Arya said as a way of an explanation for her presence.

Robb observed the way Arya held her blade and didn't seem affected by the surrounding violence that had occurred. If Arya was determined to be a warrior and not a Lady Robb would not stand in her way. He needed all the able-bodied fighters he could get if the North was going to be ready for the South and if the Wolf was going to rescue the Falcon.

Robb redirected his focus back to Yara, "You underestimate your worth to your father and overestimate the might of the Iron Islands. Your father will know just as I do that if he sends his men onto dry land they will be defeated. If he keeps them on their ships he can rule the seas and raid all he wants but he can't invade the North to get you back."

Robb took a step closer to Yara, he didn't want her to misunderstand his next few words as she would be writing a letter to her father based on them.

"He can however choose to raid the Westerlands instead of the North, get more gold for his pillaging and keep his daughter alive in the process."

Yara looked up at him, " You want my father to attack the Westerlands? To attack the Lannisters?"

"Yes," Robb smiled down at her.

* * *

_That evening …._

**Jamie's Chambers, Maegor's Holdfast, Red Keep, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms **

* * *

Kenna's eyes were flashing with rage as she eyed the soft spot of Jamie's neck. It would be so easy to bury her hidden blade into him. _It would only take a few seconds, _Kenna egged herself on as she watched Jamie stalk towards her. Maybe reacquiring her hidden blades had not been a good idea.

"Why did you tell my father we hadn't consummated the marriage?" Jamie roared but hidden behind his anger was the underlining tone of panic.

"Because he was going to get Pycelle to check my maidenhood. Your plan of simply ignoring me was always going to fail, your father was going to find out one way or another that you aren't fucking me. _I just thought it would take him longer._ Forgive me for choosing the option that didn't involve Pycelle feeling me up."

Jamie spun round and his hands covered his face momentarily before he collapsed into a near by chair. He had never seen his father so angry at him, at Tyrion yes not him. Tywin's words echoed in his head.

_You lied to me. You said you would do your duty. Maybe you are just the Kingslayer, man without honour, because you aren't acting like a Lannister, you aren't acting like my son. _

His father's words had hurt Jamie deep but the look of pure disappointment before the Old Lion had dismissed him had shattered him. _How did Tyrion carry the burden of Father's disappointment? _Jamie wondered. The feeling was tearing his heart apart.

Once Jamie had confessed to not bedding Kenna his father hadn't pressed the issue of why he hadn't. Jamie suspected he had been too shocked that his eldest had actually lied to him to push the conversation any further.

Jamie heard Kenna cross the room to sit in the opposing chair.

"Would you consider sleeping with my cousin, Lancel?" Jamie asked hopefully.

A look of rage flashed across Kenna's face and she could feel the cold steel touching her wrists, begging to be used.

"I am not a whore," Kenna snapped. "I won't sleep with your cousin just so you can be your fathers golden boy again and continue your affair with Cersei."

"It would be to your benefit too, or do you think my father has forgotten about Lord Royce?" When Kenna's only response was to clench her hands together in a her lap Jamie continued,"I won't betray Cersei and sleep with you so you might as well find another way to get pregnant."

"Why not?" Kenna shot back. "Do you think Cersei has been faithful to you? You think Robert didn't consummate his marriage or that while you were captured Cersei didn't find another man to warm her bed?"

"Shut up," Jamie shouted.

Kenna rested her hands on the chairs arms once again, ready if Jamie should release his anger on her. But to her surprise Jamie remained in his seat, his anger turned to desperation as it was clear he had no idea how to handle the situation.

Jamie stood up. "I have to speak to my sister."

Kenna nodded at his words as Jamie gave her one last look before swiftly exiting the room.

Kenna wondered what plan they would come up with. Would it involve confessing to their father?_ Doubtful,_ Kenna thought. Or maybe they would enlist someone to rape her? Ser Meryn Trant would fit the bill, he was Cersei's man after all.

Kenna slapped the arms of her chair. She wasn't going to leave her fate and the fate of Lord Royce in the hands of Jamie and Cersei Lannister.

Kenna walked to the painting that hung on the wall opposite her and Jamie's bed, it covered that section of the wall from the floor to the ceiling and depicted a dragon flying high above King's Landing. Despite the paintings obvious Targaryen origins it had remained on the wall.

And Kenna knew why.

She tugged at the edges of the painting with all her strength and after a few moments of physical exertion the painting was dislodged from the wall. Kenna managed to grip the painting enough to swing it away from the wall so that there was a big enough gap that she could shimmy through.

Once through she dragged the painting back into its original position. She looked ahead at the spiralling stairs covered in darkness. Enacting her plan and climbing those stairs might result in her death but she was also sure that Jamie's and Cersei's eventual plan would result in her death or worse. If she was going to die she would rather die speaking the truth, not to cover up a lie.

Kenna started to ascend up the stairs.


	26. The Stranger's Touch

* * *

_Same evening, few minutes later …_

**The Hand's Study,** **Tower of the Hand, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Kenna walked up the stone stairs covered in darkness and moved in the cold silence with only her thoughts to keep her company.

_What if he doesn't believe me? What if he sends me back to Jamie? What if Cersei does what I suspect she will? _The image of Ser Meryn's scared face flittered through her mind. Kenna shook her head as her path was blocked by a wooden panel. _Well my story ends then, _Kenna admitted to herself. She had seen what her sister had gone through, she wouldn't suffer as Alyssa had. She would go down fighting. If the Old Lion threw her back into the pit that was her marriage Kenna would follow Robb's advice and kill as many Lannisters as she could before they killed her.

Kenna pushed on the wooden panel and after a few testing shoves the panel extended slowly away from her. Kenna slipped through the gap into the well lit room. In the centre was a sturdy table and if Margaery's gossip was to be believed this was where the small council had been meeting instead of in the Small Council chamber since Tywin had reclaimed the title of Hand of the King from Tyrion.

Kenna returned the panel to its original position, behind a red flag adorned with a golden lion and made sure that the fabric covered the panel once again. She paused as her hands grasped at the flag and closed her eyes for a few moments. The last time she had used this tunnel the fabric in her hands had been light blue and she had been coming to see her father not an adversary.

Kenna turned away from the memory and the secret tunnel. She looked to the door on her left, no doubt Tywin's guards were dutifully on the other side, then eyed a second door opposite her. Kenna crossed the room slowly, walking the length of the table admiring the decorations, trying to distract herself from what was to come. The Lannisters really didn't spare any expense. The walls were covered in paintings, the furniture was of the finest quality and the many lion symbols placed around the room left no-one in doubt about which animal was ruling the Kingdoms.

Kenna was halfway to the door that connected this room to the Hand's study when an item caught her attention.

A crossbow was fitted onto the wall.

Kenna's eyebrows knitted together as she wandered over to the weapon. It was strange to have a weapon on display especially in a room that was suppose to facilitate open discussion. Kenna smirked to herself, _or maybe our Lord Hand wants the people around this table to know that just because they sit at the highest table in the land they are still in danger. They are still killable. They are still below him. _

Kenna's musings on Tywin's decoration choice was interrupted as she heard the handle on the door turn. Kenna instinctively hid behind the table and looked to the study door but after a few seconds she realised that wasn't the door that was opening. The door that led to the stairs was opening and it wasn't Tywin's guards that were creeping through the threshold.

Two black clad men sneaked into the room, shutting the door softly behind them and proceeded slowly to tiptoe to the study door. Kenna risked a glance around the table and immediately ducked back down. One man was carrying a crossbow and the other brandished a knife in his hand. Their intentions were clear.

Kenna looked up at the crossbow on the wall but thought better of trying to use it. The assassins would be in Tywin's study in just a few moments, not enough time to get the crossbow down and load it.

Kenna took in a deep breath.

She could sneak out the same way the assassins had slivered in, presuming the guards weren't an obstacle anymore. However Kenna didn't fancy her chances in King's Landing without Tywin's protection from his daughter and grandson.

Her mind briefly played with the idea of escaping King's Landing with Lord Royce tonight in the chaos of Tywin's death. But no doubt such an action in the wake of Tywin's death would make them seem like the guilty party and Kenna didn't want to risk an unsuccessful escape attempt turning into them being executed for Tywin's murder while the guilty party went scotch free.

Maybe Tyrion could offer her some protection from Cersei, they had been building a strong friendship over the past few months that Kenna suspected Tyrion wanted to turn into a political alliance. Kenna dismissed this future scenario, Tyrion might be sly and clever but the real reason Cersei hadn't managed to have her little brother killed was because Tywin wouldn't suffer a kinslayer in the family.

Kenna couldn't think of a way around it. Tywin Lannister had to live through tonight so she could survive long enough to reclaim back everything she had lost.

Kenna crouched and quietly advanced on the two unaware assassins.

* * *

Tywin sat at his desk reading the latest scouting reports on the movements of the Northmen and Stannis Baratheon. Stannis's fleet had been spotted off the coast of Volantis so he was a distant threat for now. It appeared Robb Stark was mobilising his forces against the Greyjoy raids. With any luck the _Kraken would keep the Wolf busy_ and winter would further deplete Robb Stark's resources and ability to resist against a southern invasion force. Tywin looked forward to battling the Stark boy again, he always appreciate a capable opponent. With that in mind his thoughts shifted to another capable opponent.

Lady Kenna Lannister, the Bloody Falcon and Lady of the Rock. _Virgin._

Tywin put down the letter pages in his hand and let his fingers gently massage his temples as he leaned over his desk.

Jamie had admitted to not bedding her. Tywin grimaced at the memory. His son had never disobeyed him before but Tywin was certain he could get Jamie to comply with his wishes. He just had to remind Jamie that he was a Lannister, and Lannister's don't act like fools. Tywin wasn't sure why his son had so far refused to do his husbandly duties. His recent conversation with Olenna Tyrell sprung into his mind.

_Could Jamie be a pillow biter? Is my son a sword swallower like Ser Loras? What other reason would there be for not bedding Lady Kenna? _

Tywin shook his head as his fingers went to the bridge of his nose. He couldn't see another reason. He knew Kenna wasn't to blame since the thing she wanted most in this world was to see Lysa Arryn and Lord Baelish suffer and Tywin had promised her they would in return for a healthy Lannister heir. She wouldn't risk jeopardising their deal by being timid in the bedroom. Tywin suspected Kenna wasn't the type of woman to tie herself in knots over a bit of passion between the sheets, even if she was still a virgin.

Tywin had been putting off talking to his son, afraid he would admit to being a sword swallower but he couldn't avoid it anymore. His legacy was too important. He would talk to Jamie tomorrow about the importance of securing the future of their house despite his possible affliction.

A lady's scream roused Tywin from his thoughts on Jamie's sexuality. The scream echoed in his mind. It was a voice he knew well and it had screamed for him to move. In that split-second before his brain even had the chance to register the situation he trusted that voice. Tywin threw himself from his chair to duck under his study desk and in the next instant a crossbow bolt imbedded itself into the chair he had just vacated.

Tywin immediately grabbed his sword that rested on the side of his study desk and charged at the man holding the empty crossbow, observing how Kenna and another man were struggling on the floor in the other chamber, just beyond the threshold of the study door.

The killer, knowing there was no time to reload dropped the crossbow and produced a wicked looking dagger from his tunic pocket and stepped towards Tywin.

"Come on old man," the youthful looking assassin sneered as they engaged in combat in the centre of the study.

Tywin's sword had the reach advantage on the assassins dagger but the youth was clearly quicker and all he needed to do was slip past Tywin's sword point and burry his dagger in the Old Lion gut and he would have killed the Hand of the King. The two men dodged and thrusted, testing each others movements and looking for opportunities to strike.

* * *

Meanwhile Kenna's struggle on the floor had reached a decisive point. The assassin was straddling Kenna with a knife in his hands and the thin blade was inching its way towards her delicate throat. Her hands were clasped around man's wrists holding him off but she was tiring. _He is too strong,_ she realised._ I can't hold him off let alone out muscle him. _

Kenna changed tact. Instead of pushing upwards Kenna thrust to her left side.

The thin blade bit into her left shoulder. The pain was excruciating but the adrenaline and instinct to survive made her ignore the piercing pain as she struck out with her right hand and flicker her wrist so her hidden blade sliced cleanly through the man's throat above her till her hand fell flat against his bloody neck.

The man above her did not cry out or alert his companion to his fate. He quietly slipped from Kenna's hand to the floor beside her and rapidly bled to death.

Kenna pulled herself upright against the frame of the door and looked to the centre of the study chamber in front of her. Tywin and the last assassin were still locked in a dance of footwork but to Kenna it looked like Tywin was slowing and tiring. Kenna contemplated simply walking away and leaving the two men to their fate but she reminded herself that without Tywin's protection she wouldn't last a day in a Cersei controlled King's Landing.

Kenna looked around herself. _Where is it?_ She aimlessly thought as she tried to ignore the knife currently nestled in her shoulder. The cutting pain was becoming more unbearable with each beat of her heart.

Her eyes found what she was looking for and her hands curled around the object.

* * *

Tywin observed the assassin opposite him, _this brat is just playing with me, tiring me out_. He had to land a killing blow in the next couple of swings or soon he wouldn't be able to react quick enough to cut the assassin off from closing the gap. And when the gap was closed the dagger would find its intended target and a third Hand of the King would die in dubious circumstances.

Tywin was about to lunge when he heard a faint hiss followed by the screams of the young man in front of him. An arrow protruded from his stomach. He fell to his knees both hands around the arrow, his dagger clanged to the floor. Tywin looked beyond the fallen man to Lady Kenna.

She was holding the crossbow while sitting slumped against the wall beside the study door. She dropped the crossbow as if it was suddenly too heavy to hold and her blood soaked hands fell to her lap. Tywin observed the handle of the thin blade poking out of her left shoulder. The grimace on her face told Tywin she was in considerable pain.

Tywin sliced the kneeling man's throat in front of him with his sword finishing what Kenna had started. The man promptly collapsed onto the floor. His blood painted the stone floor. Tywin stepped over him to get to Kenna.

"How bad is it?" He asked while sheathing his sword and kneeling down to her with one hand resting near her head on the wall. His eyes focused on the blade lodged in her shoulder.

"Is that concern I hear in your voice?" she jested slightly out of breath.

Tywin sent her a hard stare. This wasn't the time for her games and displays of defiance.

"The blood isn't all mine," Kenna pointed out hoping Tywin wasn't noticing the amount of effort she was putting into locking away her whimpers of pain. "The blade went in my shoulder, it is very fucking painful and I'd like a jug containing milk of the poppy to drink right now."

Tywin examined Kenna's wound, "The blade has to come out lest it causes anymore damage," he said matter of factly ignoring Kenna's course language and the obvious distress that she was in.

Kenna clenched her teeth at Tywin's words. This wasn't going to be painless.

"Go on then," she said as she closed her eyes in anticipation and dropped her head so Tywin wouldn't be able to see her face.

The next thing she felt was incredible white hot pain as Tywin swiftly pulled the thin blade out of Kenna's shoulder. She couldn't contain the scream of agony that flew from her mouth or the swear words that followed.

"Son of a whore," Kenna yelped as the excruciating pain rippled around her body.

"I hope you are referring to the man that put this blade in you and not me," Tywin said as he placed the bloodied knife on the floor and then applied pressure to Kenna's wounded shoulder. His firm grasp on her shoulder was the only thing stopping her from sliding down the wall into a lying position.

_Can't I be referring to both?_ Kenna cheekily thought as she started controlling the pain radiating from her shoulder.

Kenna opened her eyes and looked straight at the kneeling Lord, "The assassin was definitely a son of a whore and I have never met your mother but I still harbour hopes of leaving this room alive so I am not going to comment on her."

Tywin ignored her subtle japes, they were merely a side effect of a woman out of control trying to appear in-control. He manoeuvred her hand to replace his own that had covered her wound.

He looked Kenna up and down, "You are losing blood. Keep pressure on the wound and stay here I will get Pycelle."

_Yes, he will have milk of the poppy,_ Kenna nodded slowly at Tywin not really focusing on him but acknowledging his words.

Tywin stood up and appraised Kenna one last time before making his way through the study door, through the new small council chamber and into the stairwell of the Tower of the Hand. He stopped by the bodies of his dead guards and stilled as if listening.

All Kenna could hear was the thumping of her own heart as it pumped blood out of her.

Tywin blinked once and then quickly jumped back from the door way. A second later an arrow bolt flew past the doorway and bounced off the spiralled stairway wall.

Tywin hastily closed the entrance door and locked the bolts across the door.

_Damn, there are more assassins on the way, _he lamented.

Who ever wanted him dead had spared no expense. Tywin returned to Kenna who hadn't moved from her sitting position on the floor. She was now leaning heavily on the wall but her hand was still firmly pressed on her shoulder. She was looking significantly paler than normal.

"What now?" she asked in a quiet voice looking up at him as the banging of the men on the other side of the door could be heard.

"This door won't be breached," Tywin's eyes narrowed down on her wound. "But we don't have the time to wait them out."

Kenna let out a heavy breath, "You mean I don't have the time."

Tywin nodded, "You would most likely bleed out before they give up trying to break down the door."

Kenna let out a weak chuckle, "I suppose you will just have to find Jamie another wife to avoid and insult."

Tywin crouched down so that their eyes were level, "Letting you die after you have helped dispatched two assassins sent to kill me would be a poor reward. Besides you promised me an heir and you haven't delivered yet."

"Neither have you delivered me Lysa or Littlefinger's heads," Kenna stated fiercely looking up at him.

Tywin's eyes twitched in response. _Bloodied on the floor with assassins banging at the door and she is still thinking of her revenge._

"Good thing we are both Lannisters and pay our debts then." Tywin extended his hand towards Kenna, "It is time to go we both have much work to do."

Killing Lysa and Littlefinger wouldn't be work to Kenna, it would be a pleasure but Kenna understood Tywin's sentiment. She owed him a debt so she wasn't allowed to die.

Kenna took his offered hand and allowed him to pull her up onto her feet. She nodded at Tywin indicating she could walk unaided.

"How do we get out this room then, I don't think we will have much success using the front door," Kenna said while peeking around the corner at the besieged door.

Tywin nodded in agreement then after a beat released Kenna's hand as if suddenly remembering where they were, "How did you get in here? Why are you here?"

Kenna noticed the change in Tywin's body language and a tension had returned to the air between them as soon as he had remembered that her purpose in his study was still unknown to him.

"Relax my Lord, if I were a part of the assassination plot you'd be dead. I wouldn't have saved your life or got a knife to the shoulder for my troubles."

The suspicion remained in his eyes as he questioned, "If your original purpose here wasn't to kill me what was it?"

Kenna's hand searched out the wall to support her tiring body, "Perhaps we could discuss that when I am not currently bleeding to death?" _Or when I am not in strangling distance_, Kenna added aware her intended news would not be received well.

Tywin must have agreed with Kenna's rational as after a moment he turned his back on her to walk to the other side of the room. Kenna shakily followed the Old Lion.

"Let me guess, a secret passageway is going to be our salvation," Kenna murmured behind Tywin as he crouched down onto the floor.

"Mmm," Tywin agreed over his shoulder, "How many other passageways do you know of that lead to and out of this room?"

Kenna smiled behind the crouching Lord, _he wants to know how many paths I could choose to take if I wanted to murder him in his sleep. _

"I know there are multiple ways in and out of this room. When my father was Hand of the King my sister and I spent a considerable time trying to find all the hidden passageways."

"Yes, but I wonder how many passageways the assassins know of," Tywin pondered.

Kenna looked back at the under-sieged door. The banging at the door had only gotten louder.

"None I would guess as they are still trying to get through the door," Kenna said after a moment to consider the scenario they found themselves in.

Tywin nodded his agreement while glancing at her hand that still covered her wound. Blood was beginning to seep around her fingers. "Even if that is true we still need to move," he stated firmly

_Indeed,_ thought Kenna._ But to where?_

Tywin started to remove a stone slab in the floor to reveal a ladder descending into darkness.

Kenna looked over at Tywin's actions, "Mmm that one my sister and I didn't find."

"I would hope not, what is at the end of this passageway isn't for young ladies to see," Tywin said as he indicated for Kenna to drop onto the ladder.

_Interesting,_ thought Kenna as Tywin lowered her through the open hole in the floor onto the revealed ladder. Tywin waited for her to make her way to the bottom before following her and replacing the slab.

* * *

Kenna slowly climbed off the ladder and stumbled to the nearest wall. Climbing down the ladder and not simple falling down had taken considerable effort and will power especially when one hand was practically useless. While catching her breath she looked around the tunnel. The tunnel appeared well lit with torches lining the walls indicating it was used daily. Not exactly the secret escape route that Kenna had been envisaging.

Tywin must had sensed her trail of thought as he stepped off the ladder he said, "Only Vary's little birds use this tunnel and if he was the mastermind behind my assassination plot I assure you his men wouldn't have cocked it up and I would be dead."

"You place great loyalty in him," Kenna said between deep breaths remember her own testing encounter with the Spider in the gardens. _Gods, did I have that conversation today?_ Kenna questioned herself. So much had happened since.

"I place loyalty in him because he values security and peace and he knows I can provide that," Tywin said as he started walking off into one direction of the tunnel.

_Yes, he thinks you give the realm peace and security,_ Kenna remembered Vary's words from their conversation. Kenna took a laboured breath and hesitantly followed Tywin unsure of their final destination.

"Doesn't this tunnel lead outside of the Red Keep, don't we want to go in the other direction to the Red Keep, where your guards are, where Pycelle is?" Kenna questioned while struggling to keep up with Tywin's long strides. _Where milk of the fucking poppy is? _Kenna added as an afterthought in her mind as the strain of her injury was beginning to take its toll.

"If you want to die be my guest and walk back into the Red Keep," Tywin said dismissively over his shoulder as he continued to walk ahead.

Kenna took a few wobbly steps then stopped. "You think that the assassin's will be waiting for us to seek help from within the Red Keep."

Tywin halted when he didn't hear Kenna's footsteps behind him and turned to face her.

"Yes, they might assume, correctly, that one of us is injured. They will, by now have the entrances to any decent maester's rooms in the Red Keep under watch."

"Right," Kenna concurred as she placed a hand on the wall to steady her. _Keep it together, _Kenna thought as she fought to overcome the dizziness she felt.

"We need to keep moving," Tywin stated while watching her lean on the wall.

"I know," Kenna hissed but she was feeling the affect of the blood loss now and the world was swaying gently in front of her eyes.

Suddenly Tywin was by her side.

"Give me your arm," he demanded.

Kenna looked at him in defiance. She didn't want to accept his help but it would make their journey a lot quicker if she wasn't worried about falling down every few steps.

"Now," Tywin commanded not interested in wasting anymore time.

Kenna swallowed her pride and lifted her right arm over Tywin's neck so he could support her the rest of the passageway. They eventually reached an old sturdy looking door. Tywin unhooked Kenna from him and produced a key for the door.

_So that is how he keeps the little birds out,_ Kenna deduced as she watched Tywin unlock the door in front of them.

Tywin indicated for Kenna to go through. She took a step through the door and suddenly found herself in a heap on the floor._ He was supporting me more than I realised, _Kenna thought from her new lowly position.

Tywin took a second to stare down at the proud woman who had just unceremoniously crumpled to the floor before him. If the situation had been different, he might have enjoyed the sight of her sprawled on the floor with panic in her eyes but he needed her to survive tonight and ensure his legacy continued.

Tywin grabbed her making sure not to injure her shoulder further and practically carried her down the rest of the dark passageway. Kenna remained quiet for the rest of the short journey concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other.

When they reached another door Tywin slowly placed Kenna on the floor while he unlocked the second door. Once the door was wide open Tywin picked her up again placing most of her weight on his shoulder and walked through.

Kenna looked around the room. The door they had just come through was actually a wardrobe and the room they had just entered was clearly a bedroom.

The smell of exotic spice filled Kenna's nose and she barely had time to take in the room's warm aesthetics as Tywin carefully lowered her onto a large bed that dominated the room. She struggled to keep her eyes open, the darkness of sleep was calling. But her mind had one question that refused to go away.

_Where am I? _

* * *

Tywin lowered Kenna gently onto the bed. Her eyes were unfocused and the blood had started to soak down to her torso. She was loosing too much blood. Tywin had to act fast if he wanted Kenna to be the mother of his legacy.

Tywin ran to the other-side of the room and vanished through the dark timbered door. He rushed past a few closed doors. He knew which one he needed. Once he reached it he barged through it. On the other side was a man and a dark skinned women engaged in sex.

Tywin roughly grabbed the man off the woman.

The man was about to put up a fight until he recognised who had grabbed him.

"My Lord Hand …. um …," the confused noble man said as he grabbed for his clothing.

Tywin rammed his sword through the man's midriff and quickly retracted the blade and cleaned it on his own clothes.

The woman looked to the dead body then to Tywin, "He was one of my best customers."

"Yes, but I am your best customer."

"Your arrival is unexpected but never unwelcome, my Lord. How can I be of service tonight?" she asked seductively, her dead client forgotten on the floor.

"I am not here for our usual activities Chataya. I have a lady in my usual room who is currently bleeding to death, see to it that she doesn't succumb to her wounds and I will pay you double my usual rate for your time."

"My girls will sort it." She gave Tywin a bright smile. "My girls can sort anything for the right price."

"Good, you will not tell a word of this to anyone. Make sure your girls understand the value of discretion too," Tywin said sternly.

"You know my girls can keep their mouths shut as well as do other things with them," Chataya said as she draped her nude body in a silk robe and walked past Tywin to the room that contained Kenna.

Kenna's dozing and floating thoughts were interrupted when soft hands started to undress her. She turned her face to see a beautiful black woman pulling her dress strings and removing various garments._ Where did she come from? Where did they come from? _Kenna thought as more beautiful women entered her vision.

Suddenly pain shot through her as one of the women removed the piece of her dress that had covered her wound, causing it to start bleeding again. The pain was too much for Kenna and she passed out staring into the richly painted ceiling.

* * *

Tywin watched the whores work on Kenna's wound from the corner of the room in a plush chair adjacent to an unlit fire. The limp way in which her limbs were moved about indicated she had fallen into unconsciousness. As the whores started to undress Kenna further Tywin adverted his gaze to the cyvasse board in front of him. They had met over a game of cyvasse. Tywin wondered whether they would get the chance to ever play each other again.

Tywin was confident it would take more than a stray blade to the shoulder to take the proud Arryn woman down but the Gods were fickle, as Tywin had experience himself. They took who they pleased when they pleased.

Chataya slipped into the chair opposite Tywin leaving her girls to tend to Kenna on the bed.

"You were never shy about admiring me or my girls bodies what is so different with the _Bloody Falcon_?" She asked as she crossed her legs.

_So she knows who is lying in the bed,_ Tywin noted.

Before Tywin could voice the need for discretion. Chataya placed one finger on her lips. "I know my Lord, take the money and tell no-one."

"The fact that she is a Lady not a whore is the difference," Tywin replied. _I respect her, I don't respect you or your kind._

"Not the fact she is married to your son?" Chataya instantly countered.

Tywin gave Chataya an icy look in response indicating that she had gone too far for his liking.

"How is she?" He asked after a few moments as if Kenna was merely suffering from a mild headache.

Chataya eyes twinkled before she replied seemingly enjoying playing with the lions tail, "She has lost a lot of blood, but my girls have cleaned and stitched the wound. As long as it doesn't get infected all she needs is rest. When she wakes she will need milk of the poppy for the pain."

As if on cue an incoherent moan erupted from the bed in the centre of the room.

Tywin sent Chataya a clear look. _Get out._

Chataya acknowledged the command and placed a little glass bottle on the cyvasse table before rounding up her girls that had remained gathered around Kenna and left the room. Tywin crossed the room to a table were a jug of wine sat and poured a cup. He tipped half the content of the small glass bottle into it and swirled it around before making his way over to the bed.

Kenna lay in the bed mostly covered by the bed sheets but the bandage covering her left shoulder was visible. Tywin could see the chain of the lion pendant that encircled her neck as the actual pendant disappeared beneath the sheets. Her heavy eyes followed Tywin's movements. "Milk of the poppy," he said while gesturing to the cup in his hand and Kenna obliged him as he brought the laced cup to her lips. She drank the entire contents.

_Not worried about poison now are you, _Tywin thought remembering the look of suspicion Kenna and given him the last time she had drunk wine in his presence. The look in her eyes this time around was markedly different. Instead of suspicion it was pain. Or the need to get rid of it.

Tywin replaced the cup by the jug, poured himself a cup and returned to watch over Kenna. The milk of the poppy was doing its job as the tension on Kenna's face seemed to be waning and a glassy look was beginning to form in her eyes. Her entire body relaxed and she sunk into the bed. Tywin sipped from his cup as he observed the change in the woman before him.

Tywin couldn't resist taking advantage of Kenna's vulnerable state. His ruthless nature wouldn't allow it. He wanted answers.

"Why did you come to visit me tonight, it clearly wasn't to kill me so why?"

Kenna didn't move a muscle in response and her eyes remained unfocused on the ceiling. Tywin was beginning to think she hadn't heard him when she eventually blinked and turned her head to him.

"I came to tell you …. I can't keep my end of the bargain. I can't …. give you an heir sired by Jamie," she replied lazily.

Tywin immediately replied, "You promised me an heir. Do you not want your revenge on Lysa or Baelish anymore?"

"Of course I do," murmured Kenna as her mind fought the sleep-inducing aspect of milk of the poppy. "I know it has been awhile for you my Lord but it takes two people to produce a baby. I can't do it on my own."

Tywin held the anger in at Kenna's brazen words. Milk of the poppy just like alcohol always loosened people's tongues but you could never guarantee what words came out. Tywin wasn't interested in decorum though, he wanted the truth from the wounded Lady not sly answers that revealed nothing so he was willing to weather Kenna's slights for her drug induced honesty.

Kenna watched Tywin's facial features. _Mmm I may have pushed that too far,_ Kenna realised as she eyed the slight clenching of Tywin's hands at her outspoken words.

"He doesn't want me," Kenna said in a quiet voice. "He wants someone else."

Tywin's ears pricked up at her words. "Who?"

Kenna in her drug haze ignored Tywin. "The ironic thing is I would have given you an heir by Jamie, despite all his flaws. I would have done anything for my revenge … for justice for my father and sister. I really do believe you are capable of giving me their heads."

Tywin's shadow fell over Kenna as he gripped her uninjured shoulder to refocus her attention back on him.

'Who?" He demanded.

"Cersei," Kenna answered as if it was obvious. A second later her eyes closed and her body relaxed into blissful sleep. Her body had finally given in to the drug coursing through her.

* * *

Tywin charged through the tunnel and rapidly ascended up the ladder to return to his study chamber. The sturdy door leading to the stairwell was still intact. The banging had stopped so the assassins must have given up but Tywin wasn't going to take any chances. He approached the Lannister flag that covered a section of the wall and lifted it to reveal a wooden panel behind it. He knew where it led.

He thundered down the darkened passageway as his raging thoughts threatened to spill into open violence. The walls could barely contain his anger.

_She didn't lie, _Tywin angrily surmised.

She had been too full of milk of the poppy to make up something on the spot. He had seen the vacant look in her eye. No she hadn't lied. Which meant Jamie better have a good explanation for why his wife thinks he is sleeping with his own sister.

Tywin pushed the painting back with real force, so much so it swung all the way back and hit the wall. He stepped into Jamie and Kenna's chambers. The bed hadn't been used. Jamie was nowhere in sight.

Tywin balled his fists and struck out at the nearby mirror sending dozens of shards into the floor. His mind was racing. If Kenna's words were to be believed, it was obvious where Jamie was right now and what he was doing. Just the concept of his two eldest children engaged in an incestuous relationship made his blood boil.

He exited Jamie's chambers and walked the corridors to Cersei's chambers, careful to avoid anyone else that might be wondering the halls past midnight.

As he turned the corner Tywin saw the secret entrance to Cersei's chambers. It was disguised behind a statue of the Mother. He was about to make a beeline for it but his feet halted him as he saw Jamie emerge from behind the statue. Tywin held back on advancing on his son as he perceived Jamie's demeanour.

Tywin recognised the swagger in his son's walk and the satisfied gleam in his eyes as he disappeared from Tywin's view. It was the same as when Tywin returned from a night spent at Chataya's brothel.

Tywin leant against the wall as his whole image of his family crashed around him.

_She didn't lie. She spoke the truth. Cersei and Jamie …._

The sick truth invaded his mind and refused to leave until Tywin had exhausted all other possibilities for what he had just seen. But there were no other possibilities. His sharp mind refused to be fooled any longer. His son was sleeping with his own daughter. His son had been sleeping with his daughter for a very long time. His son had fathered three bastards and one now sat on the throne. His son wouldn't give him an heir by Kenna.

Stannis Baratheon had been right all along. He was the true King. _Was this the truth Jon Arryn and Eddard Stark had died for?_ _Was Cersei responsible for their deaths? _Tywin wondered but dismissed the idea. Lysa Arryn had murdered Jon Arryn under Baelish's influence for some as yet unknown reason and it had been Baelish that had ensured Eddard Stark's downfall.

The truth didn't matter to Tywin. No-one could prove anything. Only his legacy mattered and he had been counting on Jamie to continue that legacy but with his newly discovered knowledge Tywin realised Jamie was unfit to carry his last name let alone carry on his legacy.

He would need to confront his eldest children about their relationship but the pressing matter of figuring out who had just tried to assassinate him took priority in this moment.

Tywin with considerable effort stopped himself from chasing after Jamie and instead went in search of his personal guards. What men were left of his would be assassins would feel the brunt of his rage when they were in his grasp.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> R.I.P
> 
> Nameless assassins (Kenna's hidden blade to the throat and crossbow bolt to the stomach/Tywin's sword slash to the throat)
> 
> Oh nameless assassins you weren't going to take out Tywin and Kenna this early in the story ;) I wonder who hired you? Why does someone want Tywin gone? What happened to your friends in the stairwell? :P
> 
> Nameless noble man (Tywin's swords through the stomach)
> 
> Can't really say anything on this one. Wrong place, wrong time. Don't go to brothels kids, they are dangerous places :P


	27. Suspicions

* * *

_Early next morning …_

**Chataya's Brothel, few minutes walk from the gates of the Red Keep, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Kenna woke to see a smiling face above her.

"Who are you?" she mumbled as she took in her surroundings.

"I am Chataya, you are currently resting in my establishment."

Kenna looked at Chataya's attire or lack of it then let her head sag into the pillow. "I am in a whore house. You are the first whore I have met."

"You aren't the first lady I have met," she said suggestively. "Or the first killer."

Kenna eyed the whore with suspicious eyes as it was clear her identify was known to the dark skinned woman. She pushed herself from the bed but flinched as the pain of moving her injured shoulder rippled throughout her body.

"Where are my clothes?" She demanded as she looked at her stitched wound on her shoulder.

"Your dress is covered in dry blood, I don't think you will be wearing that again but I do have a dress or two that you could have."

Kenna looked Chataya up and down.

Chataya laughed, "I have cloaks as well if my dresses are too … light for you. I'll fetch something."

Kenna watched the woman leave and as soon as she left the room let out a whimper of pain. The milk of the poppy had faded and she was left with a sharp ache in her shoulder and a stab of pain each time she moved. Kenna dragged herself from the bed, she was completely nude except for the lion pendant around her neck. As she rose from the bed the world span before her eyes. She held onto the bed post to steady herself. After a few seconds the world righted itself and she took a tentative step away from the bed.

Chataya came back into the room with a dress and a cloak in her arms. The whore handed over the fabrics and gave Kenna a long appraising look, like one might give to a horse before choosing to ride it on a long journey. Kenna ignored Chataya's obvious ogling and shrugged into the offered dress.

"You are looking better, the colour has returned to your face …. and your body" Chataya commented as she helped Kenna with the cloak.

Remembering her dip into the Green Fork Kenna replied, "I assure you I have looked worse."

Kenna glanced at the wardrobe that doubled as a door to the secret tunnel. _No way am I going to be able to climb up the ladder_. Kenna looked to the door Chataya had appeared from. _Time to finally use the front door I guess. _

Kenna made her way over to the door but found her path blocked by the dark skinned whore.

"The Lord Hand said that you should wait for his return," Chataya said.

"I have never been very good at doing what I was told and I wait for no man," Kenna said as she squared up to Chataya._ Especially not in a whore house of all places. _

A wide grin appeared on Chataya's face at Kenna's statement, "I like you. So I won't stop you if you want to leave but my girls will accompany you back to he Red Keep. If you get mugged, rapped or killed it will be my head on a spike."

Chataya brushed past Kenna and glided over to the table with a wine jug on it and pulled open the drawer. "You might want these back as well," she said as she walked back over to Kenna with her hidden blades in her hands.

"No woman should be without protection," Chataya said as she held out the blades.

"You didn't turn these over to Lord Tywin?" Kenna said in surprise as she placed her blades back on her wrists.

Chataya gave Kenna a warm smile, "I think they would be more use to you than to him."

Kenna murmured her appreciation and put the cloak on, taking care so that the hood covered her face.

Chataya led her from the room and locked the door behind them. A group of girls met them just before the exit. Before the group left a handsome and well-tanned man entered the brothel followed by half a dozen more sun kissed men.

Chataya excitedly went to the first man to enter the brothel, "Prince Oberyn we have been waiting patiently for you to come and visit us. It seems like you have tried every other brothel but my establishment. Should I be offended?"

"No, it is a compliment. I save the best for last," Oberyn's smooth voice filled the air. "And look you even have a group of girls ready for me."

Prince Oberyn approached the girls surrounding Kenna but he noticed the hood covering Kenna's face. "What do we have here?" Oberyn questioned as he reached for Kenna's hood.

Kenna stuck out a hand, catching Oberyn's wrist, "I am not for sale."

Oberyn smiled and tugged his hand out of Kenna's weak hold. "Everyone is for sale, it isn't just money that can buy a person."

Chataya interrupted their exchange eager to get Kenna on her way. "My Prince we have rooms set up for you and your companions. Please follow me."

The Prince acknowledged Chataya's words and gave Kenna one last searching look as her party left the brothel but her hood still covered her face. He followed Chataya, but his thoughts were still on Kenna, _I might not have seen your face but I will remember your voice fair lady._ It was clear to Oberyn that the mystery woman was of high birth since she hid her face so no doubt they would bump into each other soon. But her presence here did intrigue him. A high born man in a brothel was common place, a high born woman in a brothel was a mystery for him to unravel.

* * *

_An hour later …._

**The Hand's Small Council chamber,** **Tower of the Hand, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Tyrion nervously tapped the heavy oak table with his fingers. Something wasn't right. His father sat stoney faced at the head of the table with his eyes fixed on a piece of paper which he must have reread five times. It was unlike him to still be pondering his choice of words. His father's uncertainly made Tyrion uneasy. It meant there was an issue that was vexing him and anything that vexed Tywin Lannister was a problem for the whole Lannister brood. Tyrion played with the idea of simply asking what was on his father's mind but when the question was on the tip of his tongue Joffrey burst into the room.

Joffrey's eyes passed over Tyrion and settled on Tywin. "Grandfather."

Tywin glanced up from the letter, "Your Grace, you don't need to attend this meeting."

"As King it is my decision on what meetings I will or will not attend," Joffrey said as he plopped down onto the seat opposite Tywin, still staring hard at his grandfather as if trying to gauge the elder statesmen motives for this meeting.

Tywin didn't respond letting the silence wash over Joffrey.

Tyrion looked from his nephew to his father. _There is definitely something wrong here. Since when does my nephew take an interest in actually running the Seven Kingdoms._

The door opened once more and Jamie and Cersei walked through. They both gave Joffrey a surprised look but seated themselves opposite Tyrion, in-between their father and their son.

"Good, now that we are all here we can start," Tywin's tense voice carried down the table. "Last night someone sent assassins to kill me."

"What," Cersei spluttered in disbelief.

"We can double your guard and I can personally-", Jamie started.

"That won't be necessary. Dead assassins don't strike twice. It is the person who hired the assassins that I want," Tywin said flatly.

Cersei leaned across the table towards her father, "It was probably the Arryn bitch, you defeated her, took the Vale from her and made her marry Jamie. Now she seeks to kill us all and-"

Tywin held up a hand stopping Cersei's rant.

"The very fact that she would be the main suspect negates her from being the probable culprit. She wouldn't be so stupid to give you a reason to execute her and where would she have gotten the gold to pay them." Tywin shook his head slightly. "I thought I had taught you to think before you speak," he chided his eldest.

Cersei had no response to her father's scorn, unused to having to deal with it.

Tywin carried on ignoring the shade of red Cersei's face had turned into, "Besides the assassins tried to kill her too."

All heads snapped to look at Tywin.

Jamie spoke first. "Kenna was with you when you were attacked?"

"Yes, if she wasn't there I would probably be dead. Did you not notice the fact your wife wasn't in your chambers all of last night or this morning?" Tywin asked Jamie as he clenched his fists together.

Jamie's eyes searched out Cersei's who own eyes went to the rings on her fingers.

"I normally go to bed first and she normally wakes up before me," Jamie said slowly uncomfortable lying to his father.

"So you were asleep in your chambers last night while someone was trying to have me murdered?" Tywin stated as he rubbed his hand over his mouth and chin enable to remain still while questioning his son.

Jamie nervously smiled at his father, "If I had know someone was trying to kill you father, I would have sprang into action. Alas I was sound asleep in my own bed."

Only Tyrion had seen the panicked look Jamie had sent Cersei and caught the way his father's fist curled at Jamie's answer. It only took a few moments for Tyrion to piece together the situation in front of him.

_Shit. Father knows._ Jamie's obvious lie had just confirmed it._ He knows about Jamie and Cersei. Did Kenna tell him?_ Tyrion wondered.

"How is Lady Kenna?" Tyrion asked trying to redirect his father's attention away from his siblings.

Tywin tore his gaze from his eldest son and leaned back in his chair before addressing Tyrion.

"She was injured in the assassination attempt." Seeing the genuine concern on his youngest son's eyes Tywin continued. "She is being cared for and will returned for Joffrey's wedding once-."

Cersei's voice penetrated through Tyrion and Tywin's conversation. "Why was she in your chambers at such a late hour?"

Tywin turned slightly in his chair to address his daughter. His face was full of thunder at the not so subtle accusation in Cersei's words. He, unlike his daughter, was aware he wasn't the only Lannister entertaining unexpected guests after midnight. At least he wasn't sleeping with and wasn't related to his one.

"Lady Kenna wanted to discuss the state of her marriage," Tywin replied crisply.

Before Cersei could pursue her ill-chosen path of thought any further Joffrey slammed his hand on the table demanding the attention of everyone around the table.

"Grandfather, as King I promise we will find out who is responsible and punish them for daring to strike at you. King's Landing will be searched for the remaining assassins," Joffrey announced as he puffed out his chest.

"Thank you, your Grace. But I am sure any remaining assassins if there were anymore would have fled the city by now and I have made arrangements that the dead assassins bodies will never resurface." At Joffrey's confused look Tywin elaborated. "There is no need for the guests at your wedding to know of an assassination attempt on the Hand of the King. It would only cause panic or gossip."

Joffrey seemed to calm down at Tywin's words and relaxed slightly in his chair. "How did you survive the assassination attempt?"

Tywin brought his hands together on the oak table and eyed the young king who sat across from him, "Lady Kenna killed one assassin and I killed the other."

Joffrey was clearly disappointed with Tywin's vague answer but realised he wasn't going to get anymore details from his grandfather so sat back in his chair.

"The next matters to be discussed are Jamie's and Cersei's marriages. Your Grace will have more important matters to attend to and I am sure Lady Sansa will have noted your absence," Tywin said to Tyrion.

And with only a few words both the King of the Seven Kingdoms and the Master of Coin had been dismissed.

Both reluctantly slipped from the table and walked out the chamber. Tyrion glanced back at the table he had just left. His sister and brother had no idea what was about to happen. Neither did Tyrion if he was being honest but deep down he was glad that the truth was coming out. Now his siblings might understand what it was like to hold their father's contempt. To be a disappointment.

_Good luck brother,_ Tyrion thought as the door banged closed behind him.

Tyrion preceded to watch his nephew rush down the corridor. He had been unusually engaged in the meeting and had been especially interested in the assassination attempt on his grandfather's life.

Tyrion rubbed his hands together. _I wonder._

* * *

Tywin stared at his children. Jamie was pretending he wasn't bothered being kept in the room while Cersei was actively avoiding her father's gaze, like she did when she had done something wrong as a child.

Tywin brought one of his fists down on the table. "Both of you look at me," he growled.

Two wavering sets of green eyes met his own.

"Where were you last night Jamie?" Tywin asked holding in his fury.

"I already told you Father. I was asleep."

"You are many things Jamie but a liar isn't one of them. I went to your chambers last night after I had cut a man's throat. You weren't there. So I'll ask again. Where were you last night?"

Jamie answered with silence. He had no idea what to say. He had clearly lied to his father and his father had executed people for less.

Tywin switched his attention to Cersei. "Where were you last night?"

"In my chambers, like every other night," Cersei responded.

"Like every other night," Tywin repeated slowly as the image of his children fucking each other entered into his mind.

His eyes were flashing now. He stood up abruptly and slammed his fist on the table a few times to alleviate his anger then uncontrollably shoved all his papers to the floor. Both of his children looked up in surprise. They had never seen their father lose control of his emotions. Once Tywin had regained control of his rage he gently rested his hands on the table and addressed Jamie.

"I saw you leave her chamber," Tywin accused in an unnaturally quiet voice.

Jamie's face went white at his father's words unable to counter the truth with a lie.

"I know what you two do. I know what you two have done. You both disgust me," Tywin spat at them.

"Father, you are mistaken-" Cersei attempted.

"Mistaken am I," Tywin said sharply. "Am I mistaken in thinking that a bastard sits on the Iron Throne. Am I mistaken in thinking that my dutiful daughter instead of being a Queen is actually a whore. Am I mistaken in thinking that my eldest son's only ambition in life is to fuck his own sister, not take his rightful place as my heir and rule the Westerlands."

"Father please listen," Cersei pleaded.

"NO," Tywin shouted. "You will listen. Jamie will leave King's Landing to bring the Riverlands officially back under the control of the crown."

"You are sending me away?" Jamie questioned.

"Yes," Tywin answered. "And while you are away Cersei will marry Loras and they will immediately leave for Highgarden."

"You can't do this," Cersei raged.

Tywin walked around the table and stood over his daughter. "I can and I will."

Cersei also stood up so that they were a breaths distance from each other. "If you force me to marry Ser Loras, I will tell the whole realm that I fuck my brother. That your legacy is a lie. I will burn this house to the ground if you force me into another marriage and send Jamie away."

Tywin's catlike eyes appraised his daughter. _Always so quick to anger and spit out words that are not thought through._ Tywin's overwhelming feeling in this situation was disappointment. Disappointment in his children for their unnatural affliction but also disappointment that they weren't cunning enough to get away with it.

"You won't do that," Tywin finally said.

"Why wouldn't I?" Cersei shot back.

"Because if you expose your relationship with Jamie, your children will never be safe. I will march my armies back to the Westerlands. The Tyrells will leave when they realise they have married their prized flower to a bastard boy. King's Landing will be at the mercy of Stannis and he will burn your children alive to please his new god."

Cersei fell back into he chair at her father's words. She had been defeated and outthought. Tywin walked back to his chair and sat down.

"You can expose your relationship if you want just know you will have signed your own children death warrants," Tywin waited for a few beats before continuing, "You will marry Ser Loras and you Jamie will take the Riverlands in the name of the Crown. You leave tomorrow morning."

Tywin bent down and picked up a letter from the floor and pushed it across the table to Jamie. "These are your orders."

Jamie's hand fell onto of the piece of paper. In a quiet voice he said, "I'll do it. I'll give you an heir by Kenna if you let Cersei stay in King's Landing with her children. I won't see Cersei anymore, just let her stay with Joffrey and Tommen."

Tywin gave his son a scrutinising look. Jamie was a shadow of the man he could have become. A roaring golden lion reduced to a one-handed man that fucks his sister and runs away from his destiny. He wasn't worthy to carry on the Lannister name.

"There is only one deal on the table. Jamie you will take Riverrun then you will march to Casterly Rock and rule as my heir. If you do that I will allow Cersei to stay in King's Landing, married to Ser Loras so she can still see her children."

Jamie nodded while Cersei remained silent, not believing how quickly her life had been burnt to the ground.

"And what about Lady Kenna? What about your legacy?" Jamie enquired.

"That is no longer any of your concern," Tywin replied. "You better start preparing for your journey tomorrow."

Jamie acknowledged his father's dismissal but before he went he kissed the top of Cersei's head and whispered, "Everything I have done, I did for you. Please don't forget that."

In the next instant Jamie exited the chamber and left his father and sister alone.

Silence enveloped the room as Tywin waited for his daughter final words. She always had to have the last word.

"You would really leave me and my children to the mercy of Stannis Baratheon wouldn't you?"

Tywin saw the hurt and terror in Cersei's eyes and for a moment she was his little girl again, a bundle of joy in his arms. But the knowledge he had now had ruined that image of Cersei in his mind forever.

"I would leave the person who ruined my legacy to burn," Tywin said firmly.

Cersei nodded in understanding. If she didn't reveal her children's true parentage they would receive his protection.

"We have nothing further to discuss and you have two weddings to prepare for."

Cersei didn't need to be told twice she pushed herself from he chair and walked out of the chamber into her new shattered reality.

A few seconds after Cersei had left Ser Hugh appeared through the door.

"What?" snapped Tywin, still reeling from what his children had confirmed to him.

"It is Lady Kenna. She appeared at the Red Keep gates with a few …. um ladies. I escorted her back to her chambers. Do you want me to bring her to you?"

Tywin shook his head, _that woman never listens._ "No, just make sure she remains in her chambers for the rest of the day. I will deal with her tomorrow."

Ser Hugh made to bow and excuse himself but Tywin spoke again.

"And let me know when the rats in the Black Cells are near breaking point. I want their confession myself."

Ser Hugh nodded and completed his bow before hastily making for the door.

* * *

_That evening …._

**Black Cells, Red Keep, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Tywin strode down into the depths of the Black Cells as half a dozen Lannister men surrounded him each carrying a lit torch descended into the bowels of the Black Cells until they reach a barred door guarded by two red armoured men.

Tywin addressed them, "Are they ready?"

Both men nodded in reply.

Tywin walked in-between them and ordered for his own party to stay behind the door. What he was about to do required privacy and the information about to be revealed was for his ears only.

Tywin closed the door behind him and turned to examine his surroundings. The room had no windows and the only light was the single torch attached to the far side of the wall. The light illuminated two men. One looked older and a beard covered the lower half of his face while the other was younger and clean-shaven. They were both strapped to wooden chairs by their arms and legs. Dried blood stained their black clothing. Tywin observed the unnatural angles that their fingers rested in and the way their heads fell onto their chests as if they hadn't the energy to lift them. Tywin confirmed to himself by the matching black clothing that these men were the remaining assassins who had fled the Red Keep after their unsuccessful attempt to breach the door to his chambers and assassinate him.

What he wanted now was a verbal confirmation of who had paid them and he was confident he was going to get it. No-one would withstand his rage, especially not the rage that burned inside him in the wake of Jamie and Cersei's secret being revealed to him.

Tywin made his way over to the younger looking of the captured assassins. The assassin was staring unfocused at the incoming Lord. Tywin threw a punch that snapped back the assassins head.

"Leave him alone," the other older looking assassin croaked.

"Confess you tried to kill me," Tywin said as he swung another punch that connected hard with the young man's cheek in front of him.

"Okay stop," the older assassin pleaded with Tywin before tying to get the attention of the other assassin. "Brother can you hear me?"

_Brother?_ Tywin mused. This was going to be easier than he thought.

Tywin drew back his arm for another punch.

"Stop, we did it. We tried to kill you."

Tywin didn't retract his fist. "Who paid you?"

The older assassin hesitated and Tywin brought his fist crashing down. There was a sickening sound and blood started spurting from the younger assassins nose as incoherent groans escaped his mouth.

The older assassins eyes widened as he caught a glimpse of his younger brother's face. "I'll tell you, please just stop. I will tell you."

Tywin walked over to the assassin and bend his head. "Tell me."

The assassin whispered into Tywin's ear.

Tywin immediately straighten up after hearing the identity of the assassins paymaster and walked back to the semiconscious assassin. Tywin stood in front of the bound assassin as his whole body trembled with unvented rage.

He exploded.

Tywin savagely continued his earlier assault despite the cries of the other assassin bouncing off the cell walls. He was unrelenting in his strikes only stopping when he was out of breath and his hands were numb. Tywin stepped back from the bloody mess he had created.

The assassin in front of him was no longer breathing.

The other assassin was too distraught over the loss of his brother to notice when Tywin unhooked the torch from the wall and stepped to his side. The assassin turned in time to see that Tywin had placed the torch by the foot of his chair. The flames were already licking their way up the chairs leg and his clothes were beginning to catch on fire. He started to struggle against his bonds and looked up at the departing Lord. He shouted out for mercy but when the Lion Lord turned and faced him he saw that there was no mercy in those green eyes, just rage and hurt.

Tywin waited a few seconds as the flames engulfed the bearded assassin and lit up the cell so that even the cracks in the walls were visible. Tywin ignored the desperate screams of the burning assassin as he walked out the cell to rejoin his guards. If the guards were bothered by the smell of burning flesh or the cries of a dying man their faces did not betray their feelings as they escorted their Liege Lord back up the shadowed stairs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> R.I.P
> 
> Remaining nameless assassins (Young one beaten to death by Tywin and the older one lit on fire also by Tywin)
> 
> Were their deaths too savage? I feel like their deaths were a bit brutal but they were a timely outlet for Tywin's anger at Jamie and Cersei's incest. Also you know they were assassins so their deaths were not going to be peaceful.


	28. The Wild Wolf's Last Howl

* * *

_Next morning …._

**Courtyard, Red Keep, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms **

* * *

Tyrion watched as his brother marched the Lannister forces out of the Red Keep's Courtyard. They had said their goodbyes to each other and Jamie had explained in vivid detail what had occurred when Tyrion had left the Small Council chamber last night. To his shame Tyrion didn't feel sorry for his siblings. He felt content that now all the Lannister children were seen the same way in their father's eyes, as failures.

Tyrion had known his father would most likely separate the twins but he hadn't anticipated his father acting quite so quickly.

Tyrion rubbed his hand through his beard. He was alone now. Jamie was the only person in King's Landing he knew absolutely had his best interests at heart. Now there were only vipers and rats left.

The fact Jamie wouldn't be attending his nephews wedding would be noticed. The fact Lady Kenna had been left in King's Landing and had not accompanied her husband would be a source of gossip for the ladies of the court for days to come.

As Tyrion's mind turned towards the impending royal wedding Tyrion's thoughts centred on his nephew. He needed to speak with his father.

Tyrion's legs took him to the bottom of the Tower of the Hand. He hesitated before starting his climb. He never had pleasant conversations with his father, just necessary ones. He reached his father's study door. As he took a few seconds to catch his breath under the watchful gaze of his father's guards he heard a woman voice behind the door. And not just any woman's voice.

_What is Lady Olenna doing talking to my father?_ Tyrion questioned.

A second later the door opened and Tyrion was staring into the old woman's face.

"My my Lord Tywin you are popular this morning aren't you," Olenna threw behind her shoulder at the Old Lion that was sitting at his desk.

Without waiting for a reply Lady Olenna stepped past Tyrion. "No-one is getting any younger Lord Tyrion, a fact your father and I know only too well so I would suggest you say what you have come to say quickly. Your father is in a bad mood and I am not entirely convinced I am to blame."

Tyrion swallowed before he tried to acknowledge Olenna's words but she simply waved her hand at Tyrion before making her way down the stairs. Tyrion stared at the open doorway between his father's guards for a few seconds before gathering his courage and walking through to face his father.

"Father," Tyrion said as he placed himself in the chair that had probably been occupied by Lady Olenna only moments ago.

"Yes?" Tywin tersely replied as he looked up from his pieces of parchment.

"I need to discuss a rather sensitive topic with you and I'd like you to promise not to throw me in the Black Cells for airing it," Tyrion said cautiously.

Tywin returned his gaze to his letter and started writing, "Depends on the topic, if it is about your rights to Casterly Rock you might as well walk back out the door and lock yourself in the Black Cells."

"No it is about Cersei and Jamie," Tyrion noted how his father's face twitched at the mention of his other children but he quickly continued, "as well as Joffrey."

"What about your siblings?" Tywin snapped as he put his quill down.

_Finally I have your attention and all it took was our house to be on the brink of collapse, _Tyrion sarcastically thought to himself.

"I am in no mood for your games Tyrion, say what you have come to say then leave," the elder Lannister said.

"Jamie told me what happened yesterday after Joffrey and I left."

"Did he now, you don't look particularly shocked so I going to presume you knew before hand about your siblings …. relationship."

"Yes, I have know for sometime. You would have know too if you only bothered to get to know your own children," Tyrion said accusingly at his father.

Tywin gritted his teeth, "The more I get to know my children the more disappointed I feel in them."

"Well you have extremely high expectations so you must be used to being disappointed by us by now."

"High expectations," Tywin scoffed. "Was marrying a King and producing heirs too much to ask of your sister. Was being the heir to the Westerlands too much for your brother? Was upholding the Lannister name too much for you?"

Tyrion instantly countered. "Was being a father too much for you?"

A deadly silence followed Tyrion's words as his father's eyes narrowed and fixed on his youngest son. Tyrion felt his father's gaze cut right through him but he held firm. His question had been just as valid as Tywin's had been.

Tywin brought his hand to brush through his beard as he pondered his response. It was time to be honest with himself and since Cersei and Jamie were clearly unfit to carry the Lannister name it was time to readdress his opinion of his younger son.

Tyrion sat in silence aware that he had crossed a line he had never dared to before and had no idea what to expect.

"Yes," Tywin finally answered as his face held an unreadable expression.

"Sorry," Tyrion asked surprised at Tywin's calm demeanour. He had been expecting his father's wrath.

"Yes, being a father was too much to ask of me in the wake of your mother's death," Tywin said as he looked away from his son, unable to face the creature who took his wife from him.

Tyrion blinked slowly. The Lady Joanna Lannister was never discussed in their family. Not by his siblings, not really by his Aunt and Uncles and never by Tywin Lannister himself.

Tywin schooled his features so that his usual stoney mask graced his face. "What did you come here to discuss with me if not your siblings?" Tywin asked moving the conversation on.

"Joffrey," Tyrion stated without hesitation.

The two Lannister's stared at each other. They both knew that Joffrey was a longterm problem.

They both also knew the solution.

* * *

_Same time …_

**The Gift, few days ride south of the Wall, a weeks ride from Winterfell, Seat of power of House Stark in the North, Capital of the Kingdom of the North**

* * *

Ramsey Snow, bastard of House Bolton stalked his prey through the piles of snow and stiff winter wind. He had twenty cold hardened northern men at his back as their horses crept ever closer.

His prey was none the wiser. Or so he thought until he heard a wild howl. He kicked his horse on and his men followed him as they circled around their prize.

A ratty looking woman, a giant direwolf and a young boy.

"Rickon Stark I presume," Ramsey said from his horse as he continued to circle the small party.

"What is it to you," the woman said in a wilful tone.

Ramsey smiled. He liked it when they had fight in them. "I have been tasked by Robb Stark, King in the North, to take his little brothers back to Winterfell."

The wild looking youth looked up at Ramsey, "My brother sent you?"

"Yes," Ramsey responded. "Where is Brandon Stark?"

"He went beyond the wall. He said I couldn't follow him, that it would be too dangerous," Rickon replied in a childish tone.

"And he was right little Lord," Osha cut in.

"Oh I wouldn't be so sure. It is dangerous this side of the Wall as well," Ramsey said as his grin grew ever wider on his face.

At Ramsey's comment Osha's eyes scanned the Northmen surrounding them. They all had their bows out. She heard a man shout, "LOOSE" before she saw the arrows coming towards her.

The arrows found their mark.

Shaggydog howled in pain as multiple arrows pierced his pelt. Rickon cried out in anguish but Osha kept hold of him in a protective hug, knowing what was to come.

Osha grabbed Rickon's face with both hands, "Listen little Lord, look at me. Don't be afraid-"

Before she could finish her words Rickon was ripped from her grasp and two men manhandled her into a kneeling position. She looked on in horror as Ramsey approached the lone wolf pup. He had a small knife in his hand and an insane smile on his lips.

Ramsey grabbed Rickon and turned him to Osha. "Don't look away, if you do I'll make his death slow and painful."

Osha obeyed Ramsey's command more so because she simply couldn't look away even if she wanted to as Ramsey proceeded to stab Rickon in the stomach multiple times.

The sight of Rickon's blood dripping down his torso onto the virginal white snow sent a shiver down Osha's spine and his screams broke her will to resist but it was the look of utter terror on his face that froze her in place. Ramsey threw Rickon's body to the snow covered ground and addressed a lean brown headed man.

"One down three to go. Locke continue onto Castle Black. Find out if Brandon Stark really is beyond the Wall and before you leave make sure Eddard Stark's bastard is dead."

"I'll kill both if I can find the cripple," the sinister looking man replied. "How will you explain this," he continued as he pointed towards Rickon's cooling corpse.

Ramsey shrugged, "Wildling attack."

Locke's eyes went to Osha, "What about her?"

"You can have her, just make sure when you are done she is dead."

"You don't want her?" Locke asked.

"Sadly I don't have time. The rest of the men and I have an invitation to Last Hearth and I need to give Lord Harrion Karstark my condolences on the deaths of his father and brothers."

Locke nodded at Ramsey's words, understanding that the bastard of Bolton would be discussing more than the memories of dead men when he stayed at Last Hearth and Karhold.

Ramsey turned his horse around as his men loaded Shaggydog and Rickon's bodies onto their horses. Locke eyed Osha who was still knelt on the snow, shivering as the northern party headed back south towards Last Hearth.

Once the traitorous northerners were well on their way Locke turned to the still knelt but unbound Osha. He licked his lips in anticipation, "Just you and me now."

Osha immediately set off sprinting away from him. He gave her a few seconds before chasing after her. There was no fun in a short chase. He wanted to savour this, savour her.

* * *

_That afternoon …._

**Jamie and Kenna's Chambers, Maegor's Holdfast, Red Keep, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms **

* * *

Kenna lay flat on her bed dozing and recuperating from her injury. Jamie had left in the morning after telling her of Tywin's orders and wishing her good luck. Kenna had been puzzled by her husbands words. She had been expecting scorn for revealing his secret to his father, for surely he knew that it was her that had told Tywin of his children's nightly activities, but she only saw relief on Jamie's face when he had informed her of his departure.

Kenna reminded herself that despite being a Lannister Jamie wasn't a man made for lies or cunning schemes. He was simply a man of action. His secret relationship with Cersei must have weighed him down all these years.

Everything that had happened in the past few days, Tywin's assassination attempt, the reveal of Cersei and Jamie's relationship and Tywin sending his oldest son away to capture the rebel River Lords left her unsure of her role in King's Landing anymore.

How did Tywin expect her to carry a Lannister heir with her husband halfway round Westeros? Was he not expecting her to and therefore wasn't going to deliver on his promise to kill Lysa and Littlefinger?

Kenna has so many questions and worries.

Did Cersei know that she was the one to reveal her affair with Jamie to her father? She was as good as dead if that was the case. Who had tried to kill Tywin? Would they now come after her? What dress was she going to wear to Joffrey and Margaery's wedding?

There was a loud knock at her chamber door. She groaned in response. Kenna had been enjoying the peace and quiet in her chambers since Ser Hugh had deposited her back in her rooms yesterday after extracting her from the party of whores who had escorted her back to the Red Keep.

Truth be told she was still recovering from her injury and the high octane experience of brushing with death. But the knocking at the door grew more insistent. Kenna pushed herself from the bed and crossed the room to open the door. _It is probably Margaery wanting to go over the dance routine again or Sansa wanting to know what hairstyles would be appropriate. _

Kenna opened the door and couldn't believe her eyes.

Stood just beyond her door was a clean if slightly pale looking Lord Royce. Kenna instinctually reached for him and they embraced. They separated themselves when Ser Hugh started to speak.

"My Lady, the Lord Hand wanted me to inform you that the release of Lord Royce from the Black Cells fulfils his debt to you. He is free to roam around the Red Keep at your pleasure."

"Thank you Ser Hugh," Kenna said with genuine warmth.

At Kenna's words Ser Hugh bowed and left the two to their reunion.

Kenna's eyes scanned the hallway. The only other guards that were left in the hallway were the two that were tasked with guarding her chambers. Jamie's departure had taken most of the Lannister soldiers stationed in the capital and those that were left were probably Tywin and Cersei's personal guard.

Before Lord Royce could give words to the confused look on his face, Kenna dragged the large Lord into her chambers.

"My Lady what debt," he asked as they both sat down on her bed.

"There was an attempt on Tywin Lannister's life I …. intervened and he survived. I can only assume he thinks he owed me a debt for saving his life and your release is my reward."

Lord Royce digested this news as he took the time to really observe Kenna. He must have seen the strain her body had been put under in the last few days as he asked, "Are you well?"

Kenna let her back slowly lower so she lay on the bed before replying, "I am much better for you being out of the Black Cells."

Lord Royce smiled down at his surrogate daughter, "That is not what I meant and you know it."

"I got stabbed," she admitted. Seeing the concern in his eyes she quickly finished, "but only in the shoulder."

"Oh, only in the shoulder that is okay then isn't it," the silver haired Lord chided Kenna.

"I am alive aren't I," Kenna said stifling a yawn.

"And apparently tired. You should rest," Lord Royce said protectively.

"I am fine," Kenna said.

Kenna updated Lord Royce on the various activities she had involved herself in since arriving at King's Landing including befriending Sansa and Margaery as well as Cersei's threats and Jamie's abrupt departure to the Riverlands. The conversation turned to the wedding of Margaery and Joffrey that was due to take place tomorrow.

Eventually though Lord Royce heard the deep breaths of sleep. Kenna's mind had finally given out to her body's exhaustion. She lay on her bed gently snoring. Lord Royce had no intention of interrupting her sleep. He sat on the bed content to watch over his sleeping charge.

While in the Black Cells Lord Royce had missed many things: light, sound, warmth, clean clothes, the laughter of his men, the wind in his hair. But most of all he missed Kenna, being there for her, protecting her. It was his duty and now he could fulfil it in the most dangerous place in Westeros.

That was his role in life and he had accepted it gladly. It had never really changed since he had met Kenna on the day she was born. He would protect her as best he could.

* * *

_At the same time …._

**Long Bridge, Volantis, Oldest of the Nine Free Cities, Mouth of the Rhoyne, Southwestern Coast of Essos**

* * *

King Stannis Baratheon, Ser Davos, Lord Grafton and Commander Harry Strickland stood on the Long Bridge of Volantis.

The commander of the Golden Company had a smile on his face. He always had a smile on his face when he had just successfully negotiate a contract. And the contract he had just signed was a lucrative one indeed.

"Your Grace, my men will be in transit before the end of the day," the mercenary commander said.

"Good, my men and the Valemen will lead your army and ships back to Westeros. We will capture King's Landing and when we do I will consider the contract complete and you will have your money."

Strickland licked his lips, "Agreed, your Grace. Not a penny until you sit on the Iron Throne."

Stannis dismissed the commander and turned to his advisors.

Strickland noticed how the two advisors looked at him. Lords never did see mercenaries in a kind light.

From experience Commander Strickland knew that there was good cause for the ill feeling towards his kind. Once the Golden Company had got their money and fulfilled their contract they would leave Westeros and normally what the Gold Company helped to build always fell down in their absence. There was no doubt in his mind that King Stannis Baratheon's reign would be a short one. Kings who couldn't take their crown and maintain it by their own power or armies rarely became more than footnotes in history.

But the squabbles of the Westerosi nobility weren't his concern. He cared only for the spoils of war.

The Golden Company Commander watched the retreating Westerosi party, his eyes were particularly drawn to the Red Woman that was waiting at the other end of the bridge.

_Maybe with the blessing of the Lord of Light this King might defy his expected path,_ Commander Strickland thought. Either way he didn't really care as he walked back to his men to inform them of their upcoming journey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> R.I.P
> 
> Shaggydog (Impaled by dozens of arrows)
> 
> Instead of Grey Wind getting a bucketful of arrows it was Shaggydog. Sorry if Rickon was going to die so was Shaggydog :(
> 
> Rickon (multiple stab wounds to the torso, killed by Ramsey Snow)
> 
> No amount of zig-zagging would have saved Rickon here I am afraid. The youngest Stark is no more and there is one less Stark in the way of Ramsey taking over Winterfell.
> 
> Osha (Chased down, raped and killed by Locke?)
> 
> Yikes, this wasn't a pleasant death but I think the way she went fit with her character and you know its Game of Thrones... ;)


	29. The Purple Wedding

* * *

_A few days later …_

**The Royal Wedding, The Great Sept of Baelor, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Joffrey's voice echoed around the Great Sept of Baelor, "With this kiss I pledge my love."

Tyrion rolled his eyes in response to his nephews declaration of love as the entire room erupted into feverous clapping.

Tyrion looked up at Sansa who stood next to him half-heartedly clapping. She looked radiant with her hair up in a southern style, dressed in a rich dark purple dress and wearing a ruby encrusted golden necklace that showed off her neckline sublimely. The necklace had belonged to Tyrion's mother and he had been surprised when his father had offered it for Sansa to wear at Joffrey's wedding. But then again Lannisters always had to look the best and wear the most expensive jewellery. It was a concept that extended itself to anyone that married into the Lannisters.

Tyrion caught sight of Kenna when she looked behind her to give Sansa a reassuring smile. The lone lady was standing between his father and sister, a position that was not to be envied. Whereas Sansa had gotten off light in showing her Lannister colours Kenna had evidently not been so lucky. She had been draped in red and gold fabric, multiple golden bracelets rested on her wrists and the golden lion pendant that denoted her status as Lady of the Rock was on full display.

It was like Kenna had been covered in the Lannister colours to make it clear that she remained Lannister property despite the fact her husband had left the city. Tyrion chuckled to himself, _that woman will never be anyones property let alone ours._ It was foolish to pretend otherwise.

Suddenly Tyrion caught his father's eye and he immediately stopped chuckling and remembered how their last conversation had ended in his father's study a few days ago.

_"Joffrey is a problem Father, a problem that needs to be solved."_

_"I will handle Joffrey."_

_"I don't think you are understanding the situation correctly Father, I suspect that Joffrey was the one to-"_

_"Not another word Tyrion, I will handle Joffrey."_

Tyrion held his father's gaze until the Old Lion turned his head back to the newly wedded couple.

Tyrion had no idea if his father knew what he had been about to say or how his father intended to handle Joffrey. He just hoped for all their sakes that the Hand of the King acted soon as Joffrey was only going to get worse and he knew that his wife would be the favoured target for Joffrey's growing madness.

* * *

_An hour later …._

**The Royal Wedding celebration, Red Keep, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Varys scanned the wedding celebration from his central location in the middle of the seated nobility. He looked up to the high table. There sat Joffrey and a regal looking _Queen_ Margaery in the middle. To Margaery's right sat her sharp tongued grandmother, her oafish father and her pretty brother. To Joffrey's left sat the current Hand of the King, the former Queen regent, the young Prince Tommen, the Master of Coin and his Lady wife Sansa and then an empty seat where the current Lady of the Rock should have been sitting.

_Where is she? _Varys wondered then he caught sight of her.

Lady Kenna Lannister was standing by a table flanked by Lord Royce. She looked like a vision wrapped in a predominantly red dress that had edges of gold around the ends. The dress hugged her lean figure and a golden pendant rested below her covered chest. The only thing that was amiss was the dark brown hair that fell below her shoulders and curled towards her body. Everyone in King's Landing was so use to seeing blond women wear the colours of the Lannisters.

Varys watched Kenna closely, she looked lively for someone who had only been stabbed a few nights ago. Tywin had informed Varys about the assassination attempt the night it had happened and enlisted him to to find the remaining assassins. This task Varys had dutifully carried out and then never inquired about the two men he had located again. He had a good idea of what had happened to them anyway. No doubt their bodies would share the same grave as his grown little birds.

Upon closer inspection of the table Kenna had chosen to grace with her presence, Varys smiled. On said table sat Lord Baelish and Lady Lysa and whatever conversation they were holding with Lady Kenna did not look like a comfortable one for his old friend.

* * *

"Littlefinger how nice you could make _this_ wedding," Kenna sneered.

Littlefinger flashed a toothy grin," When you get a royal invitation, one does not refuse it. Apologies we couldn't make your wedding to Jamie Lannister. There was some unrest in the Vale that we had to attend to and put down."

"Yes people will protest when their rightful ruler has been betrayed and a beloved daughter of the mountains murdered," Kenna said with an edge to her voice.

"I don't recall Lord Robin being betrayed or anyone getting murdered. But I do remember putting down a usurper and a suicide attempt that was only half successful. Could that be what you are talking about?" He said clearly enjoying this battle of words.

Kenna's eyes twitched at the mention of sister's death as she fought to control the savage rage that Lord Baelish's presence was invoking in her. She looked around the table; sat there were her two future murder victims and half a dozen unknown nobles who were pretending to be engrossed in their own conversations but no sickly looking eleven year old that was the_ rightful _Lord to the Eyrie.

"Talking of my sweet little brother, where is he?" Kenna directed at her terrified looking good-mother.

_She is probably remembering how I tried to strangle her … what a pity I did not succeed, _Kenna thought as she looked down upon her feeble minded good-mother.

After a few seconds of silence Lysa found her voice but dared not look at her good-daughter, "Robin wasn't feeling very well so I thought it best he not attend."

"A wise course of action. We should always try our best to protect the ones we love whether that be from illness or people who would wish them harm." Kenna waited a beat before continuing and fixing Lysa with a menacing glare. "I wonder how many people in King's Landing wish sweet little Robin harm."

Lysa's eyes whipped from the meal placed in front of her to Kenna's shining light blue eyes.

"H..How dare you threaten my son," Lysa said in a panicked tone as she looked for support from her husband.

Kenna noted the way Littlefinger ignored Lysa's silent cries for help, "Who said anything about threats, I was merely inquiring about the safety of my little brother."

Lysa stood up and rushed away from the table, no doubt to search out her sickly son and make sure Kenna hadn't managed to orchestrate his death while mother and son had been apart for an hour.

"Bravo," Littlefinger said as he clapped once. "She is going to be in an agitated state all night now."

"Mmm I would say it is going to last a bit longer than that Lord Baelish, maybe the rest of her stay in King's Landing or the rest of her life." Kenna took Littlefinger's wine goblet from his hand and took a sip before continuing, "Which ever comes to a conclusion first."

Kenna then sat down in the seat Lysa had just vacated and Lord Royce took up a position behind Lord Baelish. The manipulative Lord simple crossed his legs as he swivelled in his chair to give Kenna his full attention. He knew he was untouchable in the current setting and at least half the gathered nobility were watching their interactions so no blood was going to be spilt.

"Tell me _Lady Lannister_ did you like my wedding gift?" He said aware that the symbolism of the gift wouldn't have been lost on Kenna.

"Oh I loved the falcon you gave me," Kenna said behind a forced smile not wanting to give Littlefinger the reaction he wanted. "In fact _Balerion_ is flying above us right now."

As Littlefinger instinctively looked above him to seek out Balerion who was indeed circling the wedding festivities above, Kenna caught a glimpse of his Adam's apple and a brief but intoxicating image of ramming one of the many knifes on the table into his throat threaten to overwhelm Kenna but luckily for Littlefinger Margaery intervened.

Kenna felt a tap on her shoulder and turned her head so that she was face to face with a beaming Margaery and a less enthusiastic Sansa behind her.

"It is time for our dance," Margaery said making no effort to contain her excitement.

Kenna turned back to Lord Baelish. "This was a delightful conversation which we will have to resume another time. I am sure that Lord Royce will continue the pleasant conversation in my absence though," Kenna said trying to ignoring the way Baelish's calm demeanour was infuriating her.

Lord Baelish inclined his head towards the three noble ladies as they departed his table then cast his ever observant eyes to the stocky Lord that had just sat in the seat next to him. Lord Royce had a stoney expression on his face and kept clenching his fists as he looked at Littlefinger. The smug smile that had graced his face during his battle of words with Kenna faltered somewhat as his confidence in the day ending bloodless eroded the more he looked into Lord Royce's cold eyes.

* * *

Margaery being Margaery she had picked one of her High Garden dances that was energetic and sensual. Kenna moved her limbs in beat with the fast paced music and in synch with Sansa and Margaery as they glided apart and moved together. She was aware of the many eyes that now lingered on her and enjoyed the sensation knowing that she had mastered this dance to near perfection. They had practiced this dance enough that Kenna was sure that she could do it half asleep as such she was able to sneak a few glances here and there while maintaining her steps with Sansa and Margaery.

She saw the murderous gleam in Cersei's eye, she saw how Joffrey's eyes fixed onto Margaery's breasts, how Tyrion stopped drinking his wine to really look at his wife, how Loras kept glancing towards Prince Oberyn, how Lady Olenna seemed taken with Sansa's outfit, and how Lord Tywin watched her as if she was about to stab someone.

Kenna's smile covered half her face, he wasn't entirely wrong she had been thinking about stabbing someone.

Soon the dance came to an end, the music slowed and the three ladies entwined their hands as the crowd clapped their appreciated. Sansa and Kenna wished Margaery well in her marriage and as their new Queen. It was obvious with her new role in King's Landing the three ladies were not going to be spending as much time together as they had been. And surprisingly to Kenna this pained her. She had gotten use to Margaery's endless chatter about gossip she cared little for and the way she alleviated the tedious boredom that the ladies of the court had to endure in King's Landing.

Joffrey removed himself from the high table and took Margaery's hand to signal that everyone could now dance. Ser Loras won Sansa's hand before another nobleman could. Kenna saw Lord Baelish advancing on her and she had no desire to be beheaded tomorrow so she quickly made to return to the high table but found her way blocked.

"Lady Kenna, may I have this dance?" An accented voice purred.

Kenna eyes moved from the extravagant yellow robes up to the handsome face that held a mischievous smile.

"Of course," she said while staring into Prince Oberyn's dark hazel coloured eyes.

His eyes lit up in recognition before he proceeded to lead Kenna by the arm back towards the dancing nobles. A few nobles noted their approach and coupling but Kenna didn't care for their opinions. She was bored with this whole spectacle now and if there was one thing Oberyn Martell was it was fun and exciting. They started dancing to the rhythm of the music copying the movements of the other nobles as they familiarised themselves with each others movements.

As their heads came together Kenna said into Oberyn's ear, "I feel as though I need to warn you Prince Oberyn, that most of my previous dance partners have ended up dead."

Oberyn's eyes shined, "Are you saying that you are cursed. That everyone that dances with you will mysteriously die. Because if so there are a few people you need to dance with immediately."

Kenna felt her face breakout into a smile at Oberyn's childish words as Oberyn dipped his head towards her to continue their conversation, "I would like to thank you for ending the Mountain's life, although I had always envisaged myself being the one to do the deed."

"You should really be thanking King Robb, he was the one that swung the final blow. I merely watched," Kenna replied as Oberyn twirled her across the dance floor.

"Yes Dorne will remember the deed the King in the North has done by ridding the realm of such a vile creature," Oberyn's voice lowered as he continued, "But as I have been told he wouldn't have been alive to take the Mountain's head if you had not intervened at the Twins so my thanks goes to you as well."

"Thank you. I hope it pleases you to know that the Mountain's head rests on my desk in the Eyrie and when I return home I will happily sent it to you. I feel it would be more appropriate for you to have his skull."

Oberyn grinned, "Planing to leave King's Landing soon? Maybe we could leave together after this farce of a wedding."

Kenna sighed as she swayed in Oberyn's arms. "If only it was that simple. I still have things to … achieve here."

"I have things to achieve here too my Lady," he said as he resisted the urge to glance at the high table and pulled Kenna close. "Can I tell you a secret?"

Kenna nodded knowing that his words were to be taken with a pinch of salt then thrown to the wind but noticed how the Prince's face lost it's playful edge from earlier.

"I want your good-father dead," Oberyn said in a quiet tone that did nothing to conceal his deadly intentions. "He is the reason I am here in King's Landing."

"That isn't a secret Prince Oberyn," Kenna whispered back as they continued to sway in time to the fading music.

"Well since you already know my secret I would like to know yours. Why do you frequent brothels? Does your husband displease you?"

Kenna wasn't surprised by the direction the conversation had taken. Since they had bumped into each other in Chataya's brothel Kenna knew she wouldn't have been able to avoid Oberyn and therefore he would recognise her voice eventually but as a highborn women she still bristled at the implication of being at a brothel.

"I do not frequent brothels and my husband displeases me in many ways but not in the bedroom," Kenna said hiding the true meaning of her words well.

Oberyn spun Kenna around as he clearly pondered Kenna's words and then pulled her back against his chest so his mouth rested just above her head. "And yet I … heard you in a well known brothel and the next day your husband is being packed off to fight the rebel River Lords. What should I make of that?"

"That the River Lords were causing enough of a nuisance that the Lannister's felt the need to put them down," Kenna replied naively on purpose as she looked out onto the dance floor noticing that the couples were waiting for the next song to begin and most of them were filling the time by whispering and not so subtly pointing at the still entwined couple.

"That explains your husbands absence not your presence in a brothel my Lady," Oberyn pushed.

Kenna released herself from Oberyn's encasing presence as the music restarted and captured his hands to start the moves to the next dance.

"It is better that you forget our encounter and it would be better for Dorne if you were to forget your pursuit of revenge against the Lannisters," Kenna said cautiously aware that there were many enemies for the Dornish in King's Landing and that they were one of the few allies that the Vale could recruit against the Crown if there was to be another war. She didn't want Dorne to expend its energy fighting the Lannisters on their own when they could potentially fight with the North and the Vale by their side.

Oberyn was clearly disappointed his charm had failed to get Kenna to reveal why she had been in the brothel but he continued to dance with her with his expert footwork on show until he decided to strike.

"Is that what you would do my Lady, forget your revenge because it would be better for the Vale?" The sun kissed Prince said sarcastically clearly implying she was a hypocrite.

"It would have been better for the Vale and myself personally if I had left my revenge alone, as you may have noticed I was defeated at the Eyrie and I lost the Vale to the bastard sitting over there," Kenna said as she inclined her head to Lord Baelish who was now talking with Lady Olenna at the high table, "and I am currently playing the part of the docile wife to the Kingslayer while trying to avoid being murdered by my good-sister."

Kenna risked a look toward the high table. Cersei was still there, still watching Margaery dancing with Joffrey as if she could make the younger girl vanish simply by staring hard enough. Kenna's eyes darted to Cersei's left and her blue eyes met Lord Tywin's green eyes. She quickly pulled Prince Oberyn closer so that her line of sight to the high table was blocked by the Dornish Prince's chest.

An amused grin spread over Oberyn's face as he considered Kenna's words, "Chasing revenge does seem to invite a little bit of chaos."

"A little bit of chaos," Kenna repeated clearly thinking the words were inadequate to describe her situation. "It invites a shadow of death and rage into your life and from experience my Prince, it is all consuming and exhausting."

A twinkle had settled into Oberyn's eyes as the conversation reached the real reason why he has sought Kenna's hand to dance in the first place.

"The shadow of death has never stopped me doing something before and it will not stop me now," Oberyn said in his rich tone of voice.

"How very brave of you. But often Prince Oberyn the shadow doesn't just cover us. It covers the people near us too," Kenna said as she glanced to Lord Royce who was now standing beside a huge looking woman as he eyed her dancing.

Oberyn turned his head down to look at Kenna as if seeing her in a new light. "Yes we can't always protect the ones we love. I am acutely aware of that fact," he said as they followed the assembled nobles in placing one of their hands together and walking in a circle. "But we can avenge them. I am told you know rather a lot about that subject. Tell me how does it feel to get revenge since you have robbed me of one of my targets."

Kenna continued in the circle for a few moments as her mind wadded through all the painful memories of wanting revenge to the moment where she thrust the knife into Euron's torso. She remembered the initial moment well. Pure euphoria had taken over her mind and body so fully that the few moments between the initial thrust of her knife and Ned grabbing her arm were blurred and she doubted she would ever truly remember them. She doubted she would want to anyway.

Kenna stilled as the music left her behind. Oberyn stood still too, gazing into her eyes. Waiting patiently for her to reveal what revenge felt like. What he would feel like soon.

"Revenge … revenge on Euron was sweet and quick. The moment my knife penetrated his flesh was exhilarating. The need for revenge consumed me for only a few hours that day. But it was like ... jumping into a river and letting the current take you where you needed to go. Where you wanted to go. But it was all over so quickly. A brief flame in the darkness that once extinguished leaves you in the cold once more but now you know what warmth feels like. Now you crave a fire not a flickering flame."

Oberyn continued to look at Kenna. She seemed to be looking right through him. She suddenly snapped her head back to look at Oberyn.

"Do you crave it too Oberyn? Or has time dulled the fire in you?" Kenna asked as she looked into the darkening eyes of the man opposite her.

"Time only makes the desire stronger and the cravings more frequent. My sister was murdered twenty years ago and I will have justice for her no matter the cost," Oberyn answered then added, "My brother isn't here to stop me."

Kenna nodded understanding Oberyn's desire, "My father was murdered over four years ago and the need to avenge him hangs over me like a heavy cloak that I can't shake off."

"We could help each other. You and I," Oberyn purred totally focused on Kenna.

So focused he didn't noticed the looming shadow that now towered over Kenna and himself.

Oberyn turned to face the green eyes that had no doubt been trained on his back since he had taken Lady Kenna's hand.

"Ah Lord Hand, two encounters in one day I feel blessed but no doubt you have come to ask your beautiful good daughter for a dance. I won't stand in your way, I think I have tired her out enough for one day." He winked at Kenna and kissed the back of her hand and swiftly departed leaving Tywin and Kenna to stand a foot apart as the nobles danced around them.

* * *

To Kenna's surprise Tywin silently offered his hand. Kenna tentatively accepted and settled into his hands as they moved to the slow music.

Tywin was the first to break the tense silence. "What did Prince Oberyn want with you?" he questioned.

Kenna saw no advantage in lying. "He wanted to know what getting revenge felt like."

"Mmm, and what did you tell him," aware that the person Oberyn wanted revenge on was himself.

"That revenge never brings you back the thing you have lost or takes the pain away but it feels exhilarating, like finally quenching a thirst that you have had for years," Kenna locked her eyes with Tywin's, "say maybe even two decades."

In response to her subtle words Tywin raised his leading hand so that it rested on Kenna's shoulder bone. Directly over her stab wound. "Revenge in my experience," Tywin steadily increased the pressure on her wound, "is a short-term want that always causes long-term problems. Painful problems."

Kenna ignored Tywin's intimidation attempt and continued on her dangerous path, "Was destroying the Reyes and Tarbeck a painful experience for you in the long run my Lord?"

The pressure increased on her wound and she could feel her body urging her to move away to seek relief. But she couldn't, that would show weakness so their slow dance continued.

Tywin dipped his head down towards Kenna and said in a deep voice, "If Oberyn ever talks to you again, you will tell him that peace is in all out best interests. The past is the past."

Kenna stared defiantly up into Tywin's eyes as she ignored the pain coming from her shoulder. "From my experience the past is never simply just the past, my Lord. Oberyn will not forget, and nor will he forgive and we both know he isn't here for the royal wedding. He is here for you."

Tywin returned Kenna's stare as the music stopped but seemed unperturbed that they had been discussing his potential murder. He released Kenna's hand and his grip on her shoulder and offered her his arm which she accepted all without breaking eye contact. Tywin led them back to the high table under the watchful eyes of most of the gathered nobility.

When Kenna had settled back into her seat beside the empty seat where Sansa would have sat if she wasn't still being escorted around the dance floor by Ser Loras she immediately downed the cup of wine in front of her and turned to her right to locate the wine jug but her good-brother had beaten her to it.

Tyrion filled up a cup so that it was breaming with wine then proceeded to push it slowly towards Kenna as he relocated to his wife's seat.

"Can I offer you a drink my Lady?" Tyrion asked in a sweet voice aware that he always needed a drink after an encounter with his father and suspected that his good-sister would feel the same way.

Kenna wordlessly brought the full cup to her lips and took a few gulps then set it back down on the table as she leaned back into her chair and closed her eyes as if she wished she was anywhere but where she was.

Tyrion observed her and realised the reason behind her silence and uncharacteristic thirst for wine. She was in pain. No doubt that was his father's doing as he looked to his right to see his father talking sternly to Cersei, probably having a quarrel of their own. It seemed that was all the Lannisters did nowadays.

Tyrion took a sip of his own goblet and looked again to his good-sister, her eyes were open now and focused. Tyrion followed the direction of her eyes and found what had captured her interest.

Lord Baelish and Lord Varys stood by one of the many tables and by all accounts were engrossed in a lively discussion if the half smiles and hand movements were to be believed.

Tyrion silently filled up Kenna's wine goblet as she continued to stare murderously at the current Lord of the Eyrie.

* * *

_An hour later …._

**The Dwarf performance, The Royal Wedding celebration, Red Keep, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Kenna sat gloomily on the edge of the high table wondering if anyone would notice if she simply slipped away. All eyes were on Joffrey as he prattled on about history. Suddenly half a dozen dwarfs burst threw a giant lion mouth structure and paraded themselves around the centre of the festivities as Joffrey introduced them.

There was a King Joffrey, a King Renly, a King Stannis, a King Robb, a King Balon ….. and a Queen Kenna.

"I give you the War of the Five Kings and a Queen," Joffrey bellowed to the delight of the crowd.

The six dwarfs stood in a line as the King Joffrey actor announced the beginning of the war. What proceed was a mockery done in poor taste and a false account of the true events.

One by one the Kings fell. First Renly, then Balon Greyjoy was felled by the Robb Stark impersonator who in turn was struck by an arrow from King Joffrey who also shot at King Stannis, leaving only the King Joffrey and Queen Kenna left standing.

Kenna watched as her miniature jousted with Joffrey's dwarf until her double hit the floor and the Joffrey actor stood over the fallen female dwarf in triumph.

At this point Kenna had had enough of the demeaning performance and went to copy Ser Loras abrupt exit but her path down the stairs of the high table was blocked by Cersei who held a sinister smile.

"Not enjoying the performance?" Cersei sneered not caring that her words might be overheard by the Queen of Thorns who sat a few metres away.

"I am not enjoying the celebrations as a whole," Kenna replied crisply as she tried to get past Cersei but the taller lady grabbed her arm.

"Maybe you aren't enjoying the performance because it reminds you of how far you have fallen, a former Queen reduced to a prisoner. My father will soon see how useless you are to us and throw you in the Black Cells where you belong."

Kenna looked down at Cersei's hand then up to her face. _Bad move bitch,_ she thought.

Kenna wrenched her arm away from Cersei but brought her face to within a hands span of Cersei's, "We are both former Queens or had you forgotten we have a new Queen. Queen Margaery."

"She will never replace me," Cersei snarled down at Kenna.

"She already has."

Cersei's face darkened at Kenna's words and she took a tiny step towards Kenna, like a lion would to make sure their prey was in pouncing range. She bent her head slightly so that only Kenna would hear her next words.

"The Black Cells would be too good for you. I'm going to have you killed for getting Jamie sent away. Keeping Jamie here was the only reason I tolerated you and your marriage to my brother," Cersei whispered into Kenna's ear.

Kenna took a deep breath as she processed Cersei's words and threat. Cersei had clearly figured out that Kenna had told Tywin about her incestuous relationship on the night of the assassination attempt and that had prompt Tywin to investigate the affair and discover that all the rumours had been true.

_It seems Cersei isn't as brain dead as her twin brother,_ Kenna mused.

"How would you do it? How would you kill me?" Kenna whispered back to Cersei but before the lioness could answer Kenna continued, "Perhaps you will have someone strangle me in my bed? Or you could poison me at dinner. Maybe you could have me thrown off the roof of the Tower of the Hand but that would be quite unimaginative since you have already threatened that."

Cersei struggled to come up with a response. She had not been prepared for Kenna to list her probably ways of dying and to do so in such a casual manner.

"My my, have you not thought of how you would have me killed? I have given a great deal of thought to how I would kill you," Kenna said in a low voice as she closed her eyes to imagine it. "You would be facing me, I would have a hand through your hair and my other hand would hold a knife that I would be slowly dragging across your pretty neck and I would look into your eyes as the life faded from them and your blood would splatter onto my face."

Kenna opened her eyes to see Cersei practically frothing at the mouth in rage. No doubt the Queen regent would love nothing more than to slap Kenna but there were too many eyes on them for such a direct show of aggression. What Kenna had just admitted would have any other person sent straight to the executioners block. But she wasn't just any person. She was Kenna Lannister, Lady of the Rock and Cersei was smart enough to keep their feud private and behind closed doors.

Cersei opened her mouth to no doubt release the torrent of murderous threats that were cooped up in her mind but a commotion behind Kenna diverted her attention.

Kenna turned in time to see Joffrey pour an entire cup of wine on Tyrion's head.

* * *

"Fine vintage, shame that it spilled," Tyrion said in response to Joffrey's actions.

"It did not spill," Joffrey snapped.

Margaery tried to defuse the situation, "My love come back to me, it's time for my Father's toast."

"How does he expect me to toast without wine?" Joffrey's eyes flashed, "Mmm Uncle you can be my cupbearer, seeing as you are too cowardly to fight."

"Your Grace does me a great honour," Tyrion replied with an ounce of sarcasm.

"It is not meant as an honour," Joffrey fumed.

Tyrion slowly went to collect Joffrey's cup but the boy King vindictively dropped the cup then kicked it under the table. Kenna saw Sansa retrieve it and hand it to Tyrion who in turn tried to give it back to Joffrey.

"What good is an empty cup," Joffrey said clearly enjoying tormenting Tyrion. "Fill it."

And Tyrion did exactly that and held it out to Joffrey. But Joffrey wasn't done.

"Kneel," he demanded of his uncle. "Kneel before your King."

Tyrion remained as he was. Standing.

"Kneel," Joffrey commanded, then repeated louder. "I said kneel."

"Oh look the pie," Margaery practically shouted as she stood up to capture everyones attention.

Kenna eyes flicked where Margaery was pointing and indeed there was a massive pie being wheeled out.

_Thank the gods for Margaery,_ Kenna thought. Tyrion was about to have been executed on the spot for his show of defiance to Joffrey and Kenna wasn't sure anyone would have stopped the mad boy.

Cersei pushed past Kenna to return to her seat and Kenna did likewise. She couldn't leave Sansa. If a young girl of sixteen could endure the humiliation so could she. Kenna placed her hand on Sansa's to let her know she was there before sitting down next to her and watching Joffrey cut his cake and kill a few doves in the process.

Sansa voiced her want to leave to Tyrion and they both tried to flee but Joffrey stopped them before their escape attempt had really begun.

"I thought I might change out of these wet clothes your Grace," Tyrion said in the face of Joffrey's denial to allow them to leave.

"Oh no no, you are perfect the way you are. Now serve me my wine."

Tyrion passed Joffrey his wine cup and tried again to leave but Joffrey denied him while coughing and rubbing his throat.

Joffrey took another sip from his wine glass as Tyrion approached him.

"You Grace?" Tyrion questioned.

"It is nothing," Joffrey gasped back before looking at his Queen while sucking in a faltering breath.

Margaery shot Joffrey a worried look before shouting, "He is chocking!"

The young King fell to the ground clawing at this throat as his mother ran to his side and cradled him. Joffrey continued to gasp and gurgle on the floor as his face turned purple but as his mother comforted him he pointed towards Tyrion who had picked up Joffrey's goblet from the stage and was staring at his father.

Tyrion continued to hold the cup not realising how incriminating the scene was becoming as his mind put two and two together. His father's words reverberated in his head.

_"_ _I will handle Joffrey." _

At the time Tyrion had thought his father meant browbeating Joffrey into submission or incapacitating Joffrey's ability to actually wield any significant power. He hadn't imagined his father would have actually killed his own grandson despite it obviously being the best option for their future family and legacy.

Then it hit him. He had been right.

Joffrey was behind the assassination attempt on his father's life and that has probably been the tipping point in his father's decision to rid the realm and his family of the mad boy king. It amazed Tyrion how logical his father's actions appeared to him now but the method didn't quite fit his father's temperament. He must have an accomplice. Of course he had no evidence only his keen intellect to backup his suspicions. His mind returned to the scene in front of him and he found himself staring into his sister's furious green eyes.

Cersei's eyes had followed the direction of Joffrey's fingers that pointed towards Tyrion but quickly returned her attention to her son as his eyes became ever more panicked as his last seconds ticked away until he lay still in his mother's arms.

"My son," Cersei cried in an almost heart breaking tone as her father stood over her looking down at his dead grandson with an indifferent expression on his face.

Cersei looked from her dead son's body to her malformed little brother.

"He did this, he poisoned my son, your King, take him, take him, TAKE HIM," Cersei screamed as the guards descended on Tyrion and dragged him away.

All this Kenna observed from her seated position beside Sansa. She knew what was going to happened next and grabbed Sansa's hand.

"Sansa, don't worry I will protect you. Trust me," Kenna said quickly as Cersei's wrath turned on Sansa.

"Take her too," the grieving mother yelled.

And just like her husband Sansa was dragged away.

Kenna exchanged a look with Margaery but Kenna was doubtful her friend held any true power now. What was a Queen without her King?

The answer was nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> R.I.P
> 
> King Joffrey Baratheon (Poisoned by Olenna at his own wedding)
> 
> I am sure no one is surprised by this death, the mystery is more who killed him and it should be clear that it was Tywin and Olenna (No Littlefinger involvement, he is way too busy trying to eradicate Kenna's influence in the Vale).
> 
> Tywin orchestrated the plot (Sansa wearing the Lannister necklace and gave Olenna the assurance that Margaery would wed Tommen last chapter) while Olenna carried out the poison in the same manner as cannon. A big difference from cannon is that Tyrion from his suspicions that Joffrey was behind his father's assassination attempt and subsequent conversation with his father has connected the dots and figured out that his father murdered Joffrey. He just doesn't know who helped him.
> 
> Doves stuffed in the cake (killed by Joffrey as he cut the pie/suffocated?)
> 
> Let's be honest these deaths are the real tragedy here ….. :P


	30. The Half-man's Trial

* * *

_A week later …_

**The Black Cells, ** ** _Red Keep_ ** **, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Kenna hurried down the stairs into the darkness at such a pace that Lord Royce struggled to keep up behind her. She passed by a few guards in the corridor, she didn't need any directions she knew where she was going. Kenna had been visiting Sansa everyday since Cersei's accusations were publicly aired.

She did so to support Sansa in her time of need but also to avoid Cersei's would be assassins. Kenna knew that the Lannister men guarding Sansa and Tyrion were Tywin's not Cersei's so she had nothing to fear from them, although Kenna suspected that Cersei was too busy currently trying to ensure her brother's demise to carry out her threat from Joffrey's wedding but one could never be too careful in King's Landing.

Her days since Joffrey's death had consisted of her trips down to the Black Cells to visit Sansa and Tyrion but she had also been conducting clandestine meetings with Varys and Brienne. She smiled at the memory of their first meeting. A woman warrior, an eunuch, and an abandoned Lady, united in their desire to see justice done. It was at these meetings that Kenna's current course of action had been determined.

The Lannister guards opened the door to Sansa's cell and stood aside for her when she thundered into their sight and past them. Lord Royce trailed in behind but he lingered by the door as Kenna advanced into the room to slide down the wall and sit next to Sansa on the dirty ground.

Kenna said nothing for a few seconds as she scanned the Black Cell and organised her thoughts. So much had happened in the past week.

Despite the dank and gloomy cell Sansa had been shoved into over a week ago she still looked every bit a Lady, just a little disheveled. _She doesn't deserve to be here,_ Kenna thought. And she didn't just mean in this cell, she meant King's Landing. Sansa's father had no doubt been thrown into the Black Cells before his execution and Kenna wasn't going to let history repeat itself with the young redhead.

_I failed Ned, I won't fail Sansa,_ Kenna promised herself.

Kenna proceed to inform Sansa of Joffrey's funeral and Tommen's subsequent coronation.

"You didn't miss much, Joffrey's funeral was a lacklustre affair and Tommen's ascension to the throne basically means Tywin is King. Cersei is still acting like a crazed dog on her mission to fabricate evidence against you and Tyrion. But if it comes to it I have a plan," Kenna said trying to sound reassuring.

"Where is Margaery?" Sansa asked in a quiet disembodied voice not interested in the politics of the realm anymore.

Kenna bit the inside of her cheek as she thought about how to soften the news, "I am sure Margaery will visit soon she is just busy organising her wedding to Tommen."

Sansa nodded slightly, "Third time lucky I suppose," Sansa said without any feeling. "I hope she visits before I get beheaded."

"Sansa," Kenna exclaimed and took ahold of the younger lady's hand. "I won't let that happened. You did not kill Joffrey and-"

"My father didn't betray the Crown either and you remember what happened to him," Sansa pointed out with bitterness seeping from her words.

A wave of guilt hit Kenna at the mention of Ned. _I should have acted sooner. I should have charged straight for King's Landing when I heard Ned had been imprisoned. _She had thought at the time that the Lannisters would have kept Ned alive for negotiations. She had been wrong though and a man she called 'brother' had paid the price.

"Sansa," Kenna tried again as she touched the now shivering redheads face.

Sansa's eyes turned on Kenna. There was the coldness and anger in them that Kenna has witness after their encounter with Joffrey but it was coated in consignment. Consignment that she was going to die for something she didn't do and what was worse it seemed that Sansa had made peace with that fact.

Truth be told Sansa had considered her life over since her father's beheading the only thing that had stopped her throwing herself out of one of the towers of the Red Keep was the glimmer of hope that Robb would be able to free her from King's Landing.

Kenna couldn't handle it. She couldn't handle the injustice of the situation.

Kenna pushed herself up from the wall and started to pace around the dark cell as Sansa watched from her sitting potion on the floor. Lord Royce also watched as Kenna walked back and forth in a line. Her shadow danced in the light of his torch but both the downtrodden lady and the harden Lord knew not to interrupt the thinking falcon.

Kenna rubbed her hands together as she walked in the dim light of the cell. The past week she had been busy tracking Cersei's movements as she bribed, intimidated and ordered her subjects to lie and construct scenarios that pointed towards Tyrion's guilt and by association Sansa's. Kenna knew Cersei had enough resources and anger to sway whatever judges would be deciding Tyrion and Sansa's fate.

That is why Kenna had decided to take the decision out of the hands of the judges and enlisted Vary's and Brienne's help. Brienne had agreed to fight for Sansa if a trial by combat was demanded, and therefore Tyrion as well. Varys had agreed to spirit Tyrion and Sansa away if Brienne wasn't successful in the trial by combat.

Kenna had visited Tyrion the day after Joffrey's death and convinced him to ask for a trial by combat explaining her plan. It had worked so well for him at the Eyrie why wouldn't it work again? They had both agreed it was preferable to a forgone conclusion that the three judges would come to influenced by Cersei's lies.

Kenna stopped pacing right in front of Sansa.

"I won't let you die for something you didn't do, I swear on my honour as an Arryn," Kenna said with conviction.

Kenna looked up at Kenna and waited a few seconds before responding as if deciding if she would speak her mind or not, "But you aren't an Arryn anymore are you?"

Kenna couldn't hide the pain that those words inflicted. She dropped her eye contact with the still sitting lady.

"Whether my last name is Lannister or Arryn I haven't changed, I still have my honour and my word."

Sansa slowly dragged herself into a standing position and took a step towards Kenna and hugged her. Kenna's stance softened and she returned the huge wholeheartedly.

Sansa knew her last words had been harsh to Kenna but her mind had needed to lash out. To relive some tension. Before Kenna's latest visit she had had another guest.

Lord Baelish. And he had presented her with a proposition.

* * *

_A few hours earlier …._

* * *

Sansa opened her eyes at the noise of the cell door scrapping open.

"Sweetling," Lord Baelish's voice had wafted through the catacomb of space between them. "I am sorry I haven't visited you sooner. I have been trying to figure out a way to get you out of this mess and I think I have a way to ensure you can leave King's Landing."

Sansa looked up at the silver-tongued Lord, "How?"

Baelish smiled in response and offered Sansa a hand which she took. Lord Baelish looked into Sansa's Tully blue eyes as he explained his plan.

Sansa could leave King's Landing with Littlefinger and live at the Vale. She could be the wife of Lord Robin and one day rule the Vale with the sickly boy. All this Cersei had agreed with Lord Baelish if he managed to persuade Sansa to do one thing.

Turn on Tyrion.

To say that he had poisoned Joffrey. That Tyrion had concocted the plan and conspired with Sansa to murder the King. To ensure that Tyrion wouldn't be able to wiggle his way out of a death sentence.

But Lord Baelish had added one more aspect to the fable that was to be sung by the dove in front of him. That Sansa and Tyrion were not the only conspirators. That Lady Kenna Lannister had been in on the plan, in-fact she had been the mastermind behind it.

Lord Baelish licked his lips, he was so close to having everything he wanted. Lady Kenna dead, Sansa at the Vale with him, and chaos in the realm.

Sansa just had to lie for him. To lie for her freedom.

* * *

_Later that day … _

**Chataya's Brothel, few minutes walk from the gates of the Red Keep, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Tywin strode through the door to see Prince Oberyn reclining on a pillow laden bed. If the Prince was surprised to see him he hid it well.

"Would you like to sit?"

Tywin looked at the offered bed, "No thank you."

"Some wine?" Oberyn asked as he got up from the bed and wrapped a shawl around his upper torso.

"No thank you," Tywin repeated. He knew how easy it was to slip poison into a wine cup and given recent events he was not inclined to test the fates.

"I am sorry about your grandson."

"Are you?" Tywin asked doubtfully.

Oberyn locked his eyes with Tywin's, "I don't believe that a child is responsible for the sins of their father, or grandfather. An awful way to die."

"Which way is that?" Tywin asked.

"Are you interrogating me Lord Tywin?"

"Some believe that the King choked," Tywin said clearly knowing this to be false.

"Some believe that the sky is blue because we live inside the eye of a blue eyed giant," Oberyn jested. "The King was poisoned."

"I hear that you studied poisons at the citadel."

"I did. This is why I know," Oberyn replied as he once again reclined on the bed with a cup of wine in his hand.

"Your hatred for my family is rather well known. You arrive the capital an expert in poisoning and some days later my grandson dies of poisoning."

"Rather suspicious. Why haven't you thrown me in a dungeon?" Oberyn asked with genuine curiosity.

Tywin had asked himself the same question earlier that morning. He had considered Prince Oberyn as a potential scape goat for Joffrey's murder but decided the cost of accusing Prince Oberyn would be too high. Tywin didn't want to risk a war with Dorne over Joffrey's death. Besides he had had a better person in mind to blame for Joffrey's death and the outcome would have be much more advantageous than a war with Dorne but Cersei's accusal of Tyrion had halted his own plan momentarily.

Now Tywin was in a kinda limbo between letting the trial play out and come to the natural conclusion that Tyrion killed Joffrey or intervene on his son's behalf. No doubt his daughter had ensured the guilty verdict by now with the amount of witnesses she had gathered. The ultimate decision on Tyrion's punishment was in the hands of the three judges though.

The dilemma that had occupied Tywin's mind for the last week was whether he should alter his plans and ensure Tyrion's guilty sentence and either send him to the Wall or the executioners blade or try to continue with his original plan. In order to resume his original plan he needed Tyrion to be found innocent so his intended scape goat could take the fall.

Since Tywin was undecided on his course of action regarding his son he changed the topic of discussion.

"You spoke with Kenna Lannister during my grandson's wedding. What did you discuss?"

"Was I suppose to ask your permission before dancing with her?" Oberyn half chuckled. "Do you think we conspired together? Your son, your good-daughter and me?"

"What did you discuss?" Tywin pushed knowing already of Oberyn's innocence but wanting to confirm that Kenna had told him the truth when they had danced at Joffrey's wedding. His good-daughter had a habit of attempting to lie to him.

"The death of my sister," Oberyn said in a blunt tone.

"For which you blame me."

Oberyn repositioned himself so he was only an arms length away from the older man. "She was raped and murder by the Mountain, the Mountain followed your orders. Of course I blame you."

Tywin looked down at Oberyn, "Well here I stand unarmed unguarded should I be concerned?"

A small smile graced Oberyn's face, "You are unarmed and unguarded because you know me better than that. I am a man of reason. If I cut your throat today I will be drawn and quartered tomorrow."

"Men at war commit all kinds of crimes without their superiors knowledge," Tywin stated.

"So you deny involvement in my sister's murder?"

"Categorically."

Oberyn turned away and sat back on the bed. Tywin moved from his position by the door to walk beyond Oberyn as he contemplated his next few words.

"There will be a trial for my son and as customer dictates three judges will render a verdict. I will precede, Lord Baelish will serve as the second judge. I would like you to be the third."

"Why?"

"Not long ago the Tyrells sided with Renly Baratheon, declared themselves enemies of the Throne. Now they are our strongest allies."

"You made the Tyrell girl a Queen. Asking me to judge at your son's trial isn't quite as tempting."

"I will also invite you to sit on the small council."

Oberyn face betrayed his surprise and suspicion, "I never realised you had such respect for Dorne, Lord Tywin."

"We are not the Seven Kingdoms until Dorne returns to the fold. The King is dead. The Greyjoys are in open rebellion plundering the shores of the west. A wilding army marches on the Wall. And in the East, the Targaryen girl has three dragons. Before long she will turn her eyes to Westeros. Only the Dornish managed to resist Aegon Targaryen and his dragons."

A grin broke out on Oberyn's face, "You are saying you need us. That must be hard for you to admit."

"We need each other," Tywin said in a calm voice as he extended his hand.

Oberyn looked at Tywin. Here was the man he wanted revenge on. The man that he had come to King's Landing for. A man that was currently asking for his help, willing to give Dorne a say in the running of the Seven Kingdoms in exchange for Dorne's cooperation against the Targaryen girl and her dragons.

Oberyn shook Tywin's hand.

He wasn't interested on sitting on the Small Council or Dorne returning to the fold. He wanted an opportunity to kill Tywin Lannister that didn't result in him losing his head. That opportunity was more likely to present itself the longer Oberyn stayed in King's Landing and being on the Small Council was a legitimate reason for him to remain in King's Landing and wait for his opportunity to have his revenge.

* * *

_Next day …_

**The Black Cells, ** ** _Red Keep_ ** **, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Tyrion was lying down on the bench in his cell when Bronn swaggered into the room.

"My Lord," Bronn said. "I have come to escort you to your trial."

"Really did Cersei pay you to do that too?" Tyrion snarled. Aware that Cersei had bribed the sell-sword to not interfere in the trial. Meaning that he wasn't an option for the trial by combat that Tyrion would demand later. Not that Lady Brienne was a bad bet just Bronn had won a trial by combat before and Tyrion had seen him in action and he was good. Tyrion had thought about requesting Jamie but he was fighting in the Riverlands and with only one hand Tyrion wasn't sure how good his brother was anymore with a sword.

Bronn grinned at Tyrion's words, "Look piss pot I am being paid to stay away from you but I thought you should know -"

"Know what?" Tyrion demanded.

"Shae …. She was found strangled in a brothel yesterday," Bronn said looking at his fingers.

Tyrion swung himself up from the bench, "What .. You said she had left on the ship. You said she had left King's Landing."

"No I said I had escorted her to the ship. I had no power to prevent her leaving the ship before it departed. Looks like she went back to _work_ when you sent her away."

Tyrion's rage was building. _Why didn't she just leave?_

Tyrion practically threw his questions at the sell-sword, "Who killed her? Cersei? My father?"

"No idea, but it was defiantly her," Bronn shuffled on his feet. "I checked myself."

A Lannister man appeared just behind Bronn. "It is time for Lord Tyrion's trial."

Tyrion containing his anger for now, nodded at Bronn and the three men left the cell.

* * *

_Few minutes later …_

**Throne room, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Bronn escorted Tyrion into the Throne room and chained him to the pulpit. Tyrion looked at everyone around him; the ungrateful nobles who lives he had saved, Lady Kenna and Lord Royce who sat near the front of the crowd, the Tyrells who sat lined up from the Throne, his father who stood beside the newly crowned King Tommen, his sister who sat in her chair with a venous smile on her lips.

When all the nobles stood up Tyrion's attention returned to his nephew who proceeded to recuse himself from the trial. In his place Tyrion would be judged by his father who sat on the Iron Throne, by Prince Oberyn, and by Lord Baelish.

"Tyrion of House Lannister, you stand accused by the Queen Regent of regicide. Did you kill King Joffrey?" Tywin's voiced boomed through the room.

Tyrion looked up at the ceiling before answering, "No."

Tyrion sat through the lies and misrepresented conversations that Cersei's witnesses regurgitated for the amusement of the crowd.

Firstly, it was Ser Meryn Trant who relayed the events of the riot in King's Landing where Tyrion had struck Joffrey and the time Tyrion had challenged Joffrey in the Throne room for beating up Sansa.

Secondly, it was Pycelle who, agonisingly slowly, went through the list of poisons that were missing from his stores and accused Tyrion of plundering them.

Lastly, it was Cersei herself who recounted Tyrion's threat to her, _"I will hurt you for this. A day will come when you are safe and happy and your joy will turn to ashes in your mouth and you will know the debt is paid."_ The crowd lapped that up in astonishment.

Kenna shook her head slightly as Cersei made her way back to her seat after she had been dismissed.

This trial was not going well for Tyrion but that was by design. By Cersei's design. Ser Meryn Trant's testimony had established Tyrion's hatred of Joffrey, Pycelle's had given Tyrion the means and confirmed it was poison that had felled the King, and Cersei had painted Tyrion as a vile creature that had been out to burn her world to the ground when in reality it was the other way around.

Kenna truly didn't know the intentions of the judges, not that their intentions would matter once Tyrion demanded a trial by combat. Tywin held no love for his son but did he really think Tyrion had been foolish enough to have murdered Joffrey and not have an escape plan. Prince Oberyn was a wildcard, Kenna couldn't predict what his voting intentions were based on such biased evidence. Then there was Littlefinger who no doubt would vote the same way as Lord Tywin.

A_rse kissing leech,_ Kenna thought as she flicked her eyes to Lord Baelish. Throughout the trial the sly Lord had been catching her eye as if he couldn't wait for something to happen. Something that would involve her. And indeed when Tywin called for a recess Lord Baelish's eyes switched from Tyrion sat all alone in his wooden pulpit to the sitting Lady in the crowd.

His focus unnerved Kenna. As much as Kenna hated Littlefinger she knew he was a dangerous opponent and respected his ability in this game they all played. What worried Kenna was that he clearly had something planned and she had no idea what it was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> R.I.P
> 
> Shae (strangled to death by an unknown assailant …. )
> 
> Like canon Shae sadly didn't stay on the ship and went back to working in the brothel (never partner with Bronn on an escort mission, you will fail :P). I think Tyrion will take Shae's death hard especially since in my story she obviously didn't betray him.
> 
> Guesses on who killed her and why?


	31. A Stark's Honour

* * *

_A few minutes later …_

**Throne room, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Kenna sat patiently next to Lord Royce awaiting the last drips and drabs of the crowd to filter out of the throne room. The three judges had left to seek libations and deliberate on what they had heard so far.

Kenna's head swivelled. There was no sight of Cersei. Only the City Watch guards stood at their posts now and a few nobles who seemed to have found a reason to stay.

_Well I can't avoid all the eyes in this place, _Kenna conceded.

She rose from the bench and walked over to Tyrion who had his head resting in his hands and looked rather bored with the preceding so far.

"Dear good brother how are you faring?" Kenna said as she approached.

Tyrion's chains clanked together as he turned to face Kenna, "Oh never better. I could do with some wine. Listening to so many lies in one day leaves your throat parched."

Kenna's hands rested on the rim of the wooden structure encircling Tyrion and she fixed Tyrion with a small smile.

"Sadly I am all out of wine right now."

"Mmmm then if you have nothing to give me what have you to tell me?"

"Nothing in particular just that I know what you must be feeling," Kenna said gently.

"And what am I feeling?" Tyrion replied sharply.

"Abandoned and forgotten," Kenna whispered down at the little Lord.

Tyrion looked up at Kenna, "When have you ever felt like that my Lady?"

Kenna's eyes wandered to Tyrion's chains, "When I was sitting in a sky cell, defeated, dethroned, and alone. I thought I had lost the Eyrie, Lord Royce …. my sister." Kenna took a few moments to recompose herself. "My point good brother is that I was wrong then as you are now. You aren't abandoned or forgotten."

"Why are you helping me?" Tyrion asked wanting to know the motive behind Kenna's actions."Why are you helping me and not just Sansa? You could have lobbied my father to separate the trial. I am sure he would have agreed to that and ruled her innocent to maintain a hostage to negotiate with Robb Stark."

"Yes I am sure he would have if I had asked but that would have ensured your demise and Sansa would have remained a liability to the North's war effort."

"A liability," Tyrion repeated. "I think you might have spent too long in King's Landing or maybe too long in Lannister colours you are beginning to sound like one of us."

Kenna gripped the rim of the pulpit tightly with her fingers in slight annoyance at Tyrion's comment but answered his question all the same.

"I am helping you dear good brother because once Cersei is finished with you she will move onto me. I am helping you because at the very least we are allies in this game," Kenna locked her eyes to Tyrion's and softened her features, "and at the very most we are friends." Kenna paused and looked around before she continued in a low tone of voice, "because I don't think you murdered King Joffrey and despite wearing the colours of your house I still care about justice. I still care about _revenge_."

Tyrion acknowledged Kenna's words by placing his hand over Kenna's. He knew he was innocent but to hear someone actually say they thought it too was a relief.

The moment was broken when an armoured hand landed hard on Kenna's still healing shoulder and dragged her back from Tyrion. Kenna half turned as she was dragged backwards to be faced with a gruesome sight.

Ser Meryn's face had not healed well from Balerion's attack. The three gashes from Balerion's talons dominated his face that was partially hidden behind his Kingsguard helmet.

"You aren't allowed to talk to the prisoner," Ser Meryn growled while increasing his grip on Kenna's injured shoulder. Kenna thought her shoulder might pop out its socket, such was the force the Kingsguard was exerting and she already knew her stab wound would need restitching after this encounter. But before she could voice a word in reply or a scream of pain the pressure at her shoulder vanished.

The space in front of her that Ser Meryn had occupied had been replaced with Lord Royce and he had a thunderous expression on his face as he looked down at Ser Meryn. Lord Royce had shoved Ser Meryn away from Kenna so the Kingsguard now lay sprawled on the stoned floor of the Throne room.

Kenna felt her face be consumed by a beaming smile. _Gods, I love that man,_ Kenna thought as Lord Royce spoke down to the floored Kingsguard.

"All you are is a dog in shiny armour, run along now and stand at your post," Lord Royce's deep voice echoed along the walls of the throne room and no doubt the returning nobility had heard his words.

By the annoyed look on Tywin's face as he retook his seat on the Iron throne he had certainly heard them but made no move to intervene as Kenna and Lord Royce took their seats once again and Ser Meryn stalked off to stand by the entrance to the throne room.

Kenna looked to the other judges as Tywin restarted the trial. Oberyn's returned her gaze with amusement dancing in his eyes. Lord Baelish seemed to be focused on the door that Ser Meryn was now guarding.

Kenna let out a heavy breath as her body reminded her that tussling with a Kingsguard was a bad idea. Kenna was sure that Qyburn would need to redress her stitches but he could do that later. Right now Tyrion's trial required her full attention, throbbing pain be damned.

Lord Royce's meaty hand curled around Kenna's own and suddenly the pain didn't seem as great and she felt that finally one of her plans in King's Landing would actually go the way she wanted it to.

That feeling didn't last very long as Lord Baelish called the next witness against Lord Tyrion.

Kenna lost her breath and time seemed to slow as she watched Sansa gracefully take her place on the witness stand.

_Shit, shit, shit, what is she doing?_ Kenna's mind screamed. Sansa hadn't informed her that she would be called as a witness.

Lord Royce's firm grip on her hand brought her out of her panicked state and her eyes met Lord Baelish's traitorous ones. _This is his doing, his plan,_ Kenna deduced. What ever Sansa was about to say was going to condemn Tyrion and knowing Lord Baelish probably herself to death.

Her entire body went rigid and she could feel cold sweat gathering at her back. She had been outplayed by the Mockingbird.

Again.

Her mind played with the potential scenarios. She could make a break for it with Lord Royce. No, there were too many guards and Ser Meryn would take extra pleasure in just outright gutting Lord Royce. She could declare Sansa a liar but that would just result in her being put on trial and being subjected to Cersei's bought lies and false testimonies. Kenna could hop over the benches and try to make it to Lord Baelish and slash his throat before she was stopped but she doubted she was that quick or the guards were that slow.

So she sat and listened.

* * *

Sansa fiddled with her fingers as she tried to remain calm with all the eyes in the room on her.

"Do you swear by all the Gods that your testimony will be true and honest," Tywin's voice reverberated around the throne room.

"Yes," Sansa's delicate voice rang out.

"Your husband stands accused of murdering King Joffrey," Tywin directed at Sansa. "What do you know of this?"

Sansa hesitated and looked at Lord Baelish.

After a few seconds of thick silence Tywin repeated himself in a much more menacing tone, "What do you know of this?"

Sansa looked down at her hands. _I am a Stark. Father would tell the truth but he died for the truth. I don't want to die. _Her mind rambled on._ I want to live, to see Winterfell again. To see Robb and Arya. _Kenna looked at Cersei then. _She won't let that happen. She promised me my Father would get sent to the Wall instead of losing his head. I don't trust her and I don't trust Lord Baelish. _

Sansa had made her mind up. She was a Stark and she would tell the truth.

"I know nothing, my Lord Hand," Sansa said in an unwavering voice as she stared at Lord Baelish then flicked her gaze to Cersei.

"You know nothing …." Tywin said as he observed where Sansa's attention seemed to be drawn too. "You have nothing to add then Lady Sansa?"

"I do. I would like to add that I think my Lord husband would be incapable of the crime that he is accused of. At every turn he has fought for this city and for his family. Many of us here would not be drawing breath now if it were not for his actions during the Battle of Blackwater Bay and-."

Lord Baelish cut in but showed no outward signs of annoyance or worry, "Thank you Lady Sansa for your testimony but as you have stated, you know nothing more that could be useful for our deliberations on the matter of King Joffrey's death."

Tywin indicated that she was free to go and Sansa slowly curtsied and descended the stairs from the witness stand. She was about to continue on her way back to her chambers when Lady Kenna, with a sly smile on her face gestured for her to sit beside her.

Sansa obliged and she sat between Lady Kenna and Lord Royce. Sansa heard Kenna whisper, "Thank you," as she sat down and Sansa realised that sitting in-between the old Lord and her good-sister was the safest she had felt in a while.

Once settled Sansa sent Lord Baelish a cold look which he returned in kind. Whatever bond he had been trying to forge had truly been torn-a-sounder. Lady Sansa sat firmly in Lady Kenna's camp now.

Lord Baelish could not help but feel the Gods were playing with him dangling everything he wanted merely to snatch it away at the last second. No matter, he didn't give up easily and there would be other opportunities to facilitate Lady Kenna's death and ensure Sansa fell into his clutches.

Tywin returned his attention to his youngest son. "Do you have anything to say in your own defence?"

Tyrion glared at his father, "I did not do it. I did not kill Joffrey. I will not let my life and my wife's life be taken for Joffrey's murder." Tyrion then pointedly looked at his sister who sat beside the throne with a twisted smile dominating her feline face. "And I know I won't get no justice here so I will let the Gods decide our fate. I demand a trial by combat."

Tywin stood from the throne and returned Tyrion's glare. "So be it," he simply said.

* * *

_Same day …_

**War Council chamber in Winterfell, Seat of power of House Stark in the North, Capital of the Kingdom of the North**

* * *

"What the little twats dead?" Lord Umber's voice boomed.

Robb nodded his head as he put down the letter he had just read out-loud to his council. King Joffrey first of his name had been murdered at his own wedding. Weddings in Westeros were turning into very dangerous affairs.

"The news from the South isn't what concerns me right now but news from the North," Robb looked around the table and at his gathered banner men to ensure he had their full attention.

"My brother Jon is part of the Nights Watch and has asked for my help in repelling an advancing Wildling army. He claims they are a hundred-thousand strong and if they breach the Wall the petty battles of the South will mean nothing."

Lord Bolton took the opportunity first to voice his disbelief, "A wildling army a hundred-thousand men strong? Will they have giants too?" Lord Bolton joked.

When Robb fixed him with a stern glare the grin on the older Lord's face slipped away.

"They have giants in this wildling army too?" Lord Bolton said incredibly.

Maester Luwin answered on behalf of his King, "It has long been thought my Lords that the giants didn't vanish but simply migrated North and when Bran the Builder erected the Wall they were on the other side."

Robb moved his gaze around the room once more eyeing each seated bannerman, "I share your .. disbelief Lord Bolton but my brother Jon is no liar and the Wildlings are not all on the right side of the Wall. We have received reports that Mole's Town has been burned to the ground by Wildlings. Therefore I ask you to all ride back to your stronghold sand raise your banners. We must hunt down those Wildlings that have crossed the Wall then deal with the main army advancing on the Wall."

Robb stood from his chair, "Once we have secured the Wall we will march South I promise you. The Westerlands are being bled dry by the Greyjoy raids. The Kingslayer's host is fighting in the Riverlands and once he is done there he will move to protect the Westerlands. The Arryn army will not heed Lord Baelish's command especially if he remains in the capital. We will march straight down to Casterly Rock and tear it from the Lannister's grasps once again."

"I thought taking King's Landing and rescuing your sister was our goal your Grace," Lord Umber interjected with a confused grimace on his long face.

Robb let his mind wander back to the strategy Kenna had proposed all those moons ago when the North and Arryn forces had met for the first time. He heeded her advice now, whether it would be too late he did not know.

"It is my Lord but the capture of King's Landing is also the goal of many. It sometimes pays to be patient and let other people have a crack at it first and weaken your target so that when you strike you succeed where they did not."

Lord Bolton nodded with approval at Robb's words. He supported this new wily approach the young King in the North was taking. Sometimes the straightest path was not always the most effective, Ned Starks face flashed in Lord Bolton's mind, or walked the longest.

"So my Lords we are in agreement then, you will gather your men and we will march North to the Wall," King Robb asked.

A wave of bows followed by a dozen "Your Graces" confirmed their agreement. The Lords started to disperse when the doors of the War Council chamber swung open to reveal Ramsey Bolton.

* * *

"Apologies for the interruption your Grace, my Lords," the bastard looked to the still seated Lord Bolton, "_Father, _but I thought you would want to know as soon as possible. I tracked your brother Bran to the Wall. It appears he managed to cross over beyond it. Your youngest brother we tracked down in the Gift but …. your Grace we found only his body."

Robb rebounded on the bastard of Bolton walking to within a metre of Ramsey with an angry expression on his face.

"Rickon is dead? How and who? Tell me now," Robb shouted.

"Yes as well as his direwolf," Ramsey replied calmly. "We believe wildlings found them and killed them. I brought Rickon's body and his wolf's back to Winterfell. I am sorry your Grace, I didn't find them in time." Ramsey finished his sentence and looked to his feet in apparent regret at not being a better tracker.

Robb swallowed a few times before dismissing the Bolton bastard in front of him and turning back to his bannermen.

"I want your men marching to the Wall by the end of the day," he said barely containing his fury and grief at losing yet another family member.

The Northern Lords quickly vacated the room to carry out their King's wishes. Even Maester Luwin left the room knowing he wasn't the right person to handle his King's emotions at that moment.

Once Robb was alone in the War Council chamber he walked back over to the heavy set oak table and placed his hands on the surface as he leaned over the table.

He lifted his head to to ceiling, "Please come down now," he took a deep breath and added in a soft tone, "I need you."

After a few seconds the wooden beams above Robb started to creak and Arya dropped from them onto the table. Her face was streaked with tears that she hadn't bothered to clear away.

At the sight of her Robb started to quietly cry and Arya advanced on the table to bring her brother into a hug.

They knew what the other was going through. When the pack lost a member only the other wolves knew how it felt. How it hurt.

"I am going to make the Wildlings pay for Rickon," Robb mumbled.

"I know you will make the person responsible pay. Just let me help you and once you help Jon can you bring him back?" Arya asked.

Robb gentle disengaged from his little sister and wiped away his tears.

"He is of the Night's Watch now Arya. He has sworn an oath. If he chooses to break it I won't punish him but I doubt he would forsake the Watch," seeing Arya's sullen expression Robb continued, "when I leave for the Wall Arya you are in command of Winterfell."

"I am no Lady-"

"I am not asking you to be a Lady Arya. I am asking you to lead in my absence. You as the last Stark in Winterfell will be in charge when my armies march North. Can I count on you to do that?"

Arya leaned once more into Robb's embrace, "Of course. You can trust me."

* * *

_Early next morning, day of the trial by combat …_

**Courtyard, Red Keep, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Kenna was enjoying the warmth of sleep when she felt someone gently shaking her. She immediately roused herself and grabbed a hold of the offending hand while reaching for one of her blades that rested underneath her pillow.

Once she had blinked a few times the image of a slightly concerned Lord Varys filled her vision. Kenna released his hand and removed the threatening blade from his stomach. The Lord took a few steps away from the bed as Kenna pushed back the covers to reveal her small clothes but remained on the bed.

"Lord Varys it is always a pleasure to see you but what in the Seven Hells are you doing in my chambers at this hour?" Kenna questioned as she stretched her limbs.

"I am afraid it is to bring you bad news, my Lady," the eunuch said with a sad glint in his eyes.

Kenna set down her blade beside her thigh and rubbed her eyes, "Oh?"

"Lady Brienne, she has … fallen ill," Varys said as he hid his hands in his sleeves.

"What," Kenna exclaimed as she clambered out of the bed. "Tell me everything now."

"From what I can gather Lady Brienne and her squire took ill after their last meal. She was able to get help before she collapsed but she has remained unconscious for the last few hours. Qyburn is tending to her and her squire."

"Why didn't you immediately inform me?" Kenna asked as she started to dress herself.

Lord Varys turned his back in respect, "You can't help Lady Brienne anymore than I can help her and I thought you would benefit from some sleep so you might be able to solve the rather pressing problem that her absence will cause at the trial today."

"Yes," Kenna acknowledged. _Who was going to take Brienne's place now? _Kenna questioned herself. In truth Kenna had know who would replace Brienne as soon as Varys had informed her of Brienne's condition. The last few minutes she had been trying to come up with alternatives.

A fully dressed Kenna tapped Lord Varys on his shoulder. "Let us not talk in riddles. Who poisoned Lady Brienne?"

"My best guess, would be that Littlefinger had his spies following Brienne and she wasn't as …. careful as us. Littlefinger probably told Cersei of our meetings and as soon as Tyrion demanded a trial by combat Cersei figured out Lady Brienne was going to be Tyrion and Sansa's champion and poisoned her."

"And by guess I assume you can confirm all this?" Kenna inquired.

"My little birds saw Pycelle visits Brienne's chambers, I am sure it wouldn't take too much … persuasion to make him confess to poisoning Lady Brienne and the poor boys food."

"Mmm," Kenna agreed as she opened her door to fetch Lord Royce and rush to Qyburn's lab. She noted Lord Varys hadn't followed her and realised that she wasn't the only one who knew about the secret passageways to her chambers. The spider knew too, of course he did.

* * *

Lord Royce and Lady Kenna hurried through the corridors of the Red Keep to Qyburn's lab. Kenna burst through the door to see Qyburn hunched over a young unconscious black haired man while Artys ran around the lab collecting various items and handing them to Qyburn.

Kenna walked purposefully towards the unofficial maester, "Qyburn where is Lady-"

"Not now my Lady, Artys show her," yelled Qyburn as he forced a bottle of green liquid down the squire's throat and turned him so he lay on his side.

Kenna sent Artys a puzzled look but the nimble boy simply tugged at her hand and showed her and Lord Royce to the other room.

Kenna entered the secondary room and came face to face with a pale looking Lady Brienne. She lay on a wooden table in a light blue tunic. He eyes where closed. Before Kenna could ask Artys anything he slipped back through the door and rushed to Qyburn's side leaving Lord Royce with Kenna.

Kenna advanced on the prone Lady. The closer she got the more the dread ate at her insides. Kenna reached out and laid a hand on Lady Brienne's cheek.

It was cold.

"Fuck," Kenna yelled. _Who is going to be Sansa's and Tyrion's champion now?_

Kenna paced beside Brienne's body for a few seconds before bending over and resting her head and arms on the wooden table a few inches from Brienne's legs. She wrestled with asking the question that was in her mind.

"Ask it my Lady, I know you must, just as you know I will accept," came Lord Royce's gentle voice from behind her.

Kenna hated herself as the words escaped her mouth, "Will you be Sansa's and Tyrion's champion?"

The man behind her had been in too many dangerous positions already for her and yet here she was asking more of him. Asking him to risk his life again.

Lord Royce laid a hand on Kenna's back and she turned to face him with tears in her eyes.

"I will be their champion for_ you_."

"Lord Royce … Yohn think about what I have asked of you," Kenna implored.

"_My Queen_ just asked me to fight for her allies. I do your bidding and trust that what you asks is for the best," Lord Royce replied and in an attempt to lighten the mood he continued, "Besides do you really think I am a worse fighter than Lord Tyrion he is a quarter of my size if that."

Kenna couldn't help but breath out a chuckle at Lord Royce's attempt to make her feel better and distract her from the near death sentence she had just given him. Yes Lord Royce was a better fighter than Tyrion but the Crown's champion would be one of the best fighters in the Seven Kingdoms but Kenna had to go with the best shot at winning the trial by combat and that was currently Lord Royce.

Tears started to fall from Kenna's face as she realised what was to happen later that day. Lord Royce gathered her into an engulfing hug. Kenna held Lord Royce close aware this might be the last time they would ever embrace like this.

Kenna looked beyond Lord Royce's shoulder to see Qyburn and Artys standing in the doorway. Qyburn shook his head gently indicating that the young squire had succumbed to what ever poison had taken Lady Brienne.

Kenna tightened her hold on Lord Royce. Death seemed to follow her around taking enough people that she loved to enrage her but leaving enough behind to entice her to keep living and fighting.

Kenna looked into her sister's eyes as she watched Artys stare at his own feet. For someone so young he had seen enough dead already but Kenna knew the Stranger wasn't done with her yet she just hoped his next victim would be herself. She didn't know if she could handle another death of someone she loved. She only had two such people left and by sundown she might only have one left.

* * *

_An hour later …_

**The Black Cells, ** ** _Red Keep_ ** **, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Kenna stepped into Tyrion's cell. Tyrion eyed the Lady. She seemed on edge, worried about something.

_It is me on trial not her, _Tyrion thought.

"Well that is not a good look on your face. What has happened?" Tyrion said giving a voice to the thoughts in his head.

"Lady Brienne is dead," Kenna answered in a blunt tone.

"How?" Tyrion asked as he sprang upright on his bench.

"Your sister of course," Kenna said bitterly.

"Of course, Cersei always gets what she wants and she wants me dead. Couldn't have a decent fighter representing me," Tyrion seethed.

Kenna looked away from Tyrion to the torch between them before replying.

"Actually you will still have a decent fighter in the arena. Fighting for your life. Fighting for Sansa's life. And fighting for his own life," Kenna said in a morose tone.

Tyrion let silence consume his reply as his mind fought to work out Kenna's sad demeanour and solemn words.

Suddenly it all came together in his head.

"Lord Royce is replacing Lady Brienne isn't he?" Tyrion asked to the space between them, not quite managing to look directly at Kenna.

"Yes," Kenna confirmed quietly.

"Thank you," Tyrion said softly aware that Lord Royce was like a father to Kenna and even if he didn't enjoy a father's love himself he knew Kenna defiantly did with Lord Royce and that it was something to be cherished. Not cheaply jeopardised or put in harms way.

"I am not risking Lord Royce's life just for you Lord Tyrion. There is so much more at stake than your life or Sansa's life."

Tyrion gave Kenna a confused look but before he could inquire about her words further she ducked back out of the cell.

_She is playing the game at another level where my trial is but one part of a grander plan, _Tyrion realised. _If I survive today I am going to find out what that plan is._

He was tired of being the one pushed around in other peoples plots it was time for him to do his own plotting if he lived long enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> R.I.P
> 
> Brienne of Tarth (poisoned to death by Pycelle on Cersei's orders)
> 
> Yeah I am a little bit sad about this one but let's face it she isn't the most conspicuous person in King's Landing so she was bound to be followed to those clandestine meetings and once Tyrion demanded a trial by combat Littlefinger put it all together and informed Cersei. And we all know Cersei couldn't have had a decent warrior representing her little brother. Sorry Brienne I am sure you would have made a great Kingsguard :(
> 
> Podrick Payne (poisoned to death by Pycelle as collateral damage in Brienne's murder)
> 
> Blame Supremus85 (joking) for pointing out the plot hole that Brienne would probably survive her poison attempt if Pod did as well ... so naturally I have rectified the problem and Pod has joined Brienne in death :) We never did find out why the whores gave him his money back ... :(


	32. The Gods' Judgement

* * *

_That afternoon …_

**The arena in the shadow of the Red Keep, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Tywin surveyed the scene in front of him.

Ser Meryn Trant stood in the arena practicing his sword strokes while sending gleeful glances at his opponent opposite him. Lord Royce wore his famed bronze amour and helmet as he swung his long sword around experimental as if testing the balance.

His son and Lady Sansa stood just off to the side of the arena in shackles watching the old Lord nervously. Lady Kenna stood beside Sansa with her hand entwined with the redhead's. The elder lady had a serious expression on her face which Tywin knew was hiding her trepidation at the coming fight.

_She does not think Lord Royce will win this, _Tywin realised as he studied Kenna closely. Tywin looked at Ser Meryn Trant who was drinking from a pouch of water Pycelle had just handed him. The Kingsguard did look fired up and ready to kill a man. Kenna's concerns were well founded. Ser Meryn Trant was a Kingsguard and as such spent a considerable amount of his life practicing how to kill a man in single combat and while Lord Royce was the taller man he was older and had spent the last few months locked in the Black Cells. In a fair fight the winner was obvious. But when was the last time a fair fight had been fought in King's Landing?

"It is a shame isn't it?" Cersei slurred.

Tywin looked at the near empty cup in Cersei's hand and he felt his jaw tighten in disapproval, "What is a shame?"

"That Tyrion won't simply confess. If he had done this," Cersei waved her arms around to point at the crowd and the arena, "spectacle wouldn't be necessary. But that is what Tyrion does isn't it? He slides through the Stranger's fingers so that someone else has to die in his place. He has done that since he was born," Cersei said resentfully while finishing her cup.

"What happens next is for the Gods to decide," Tywin said fully aware that it wasn't the Gods that would decide what happened next.

Cersei didn't reply to her father but refilled her cup and settled into her seat. She was going to enjoy watching Ser Meryn kill Lord Royce, she had requested to Ser Meryn that the Vale Lord's death be slow and painful knowing that that would cause Lady Kenna the most amount of grief. But the real reason Cersei was allowing herself to feel smug and happy was that once Lord Royce was nothing but a cold corpse her brother would feel the executioner's blade and Cersei had wanted nothing more than that moment since she had been seven years old.

Tywin's attention was taken away from the ominous smile that had spread over his daughter's face to Prince Oberyn who was now engaged in a discussion with Lady Kenna and Lady Sansa.

* * *

"Ladies," Prince Oberyn greeted them as he kissed both their hands making it seem like the shackles on Sansa's hands didn't even exist. "I hope the Gods find justice today."

"Justice," Tyrion sneered. "There is no justice here Prince Oberyn, just losers and winners."

Oberyn smiled down at the little man, "Well for your sake my Lord I hope your man is a winner." He pivoted slightly to address Kenna. "May I escort you to your seat?"

"Yes, just wait a moment," Kenna said as she stepped over to Lord Royce.

"Yohn," Kenna said to get the focused Lord's attention.

Lord Royce turned around but before he could speak Kenna shoved one of her small hidden blades into his hands.

"If you see an opening take it and stab him, I don't care if it is dishonourable. Just don't die. Don't leave me," Kenna mumbled as her emotions threatened to overcome her.

Lord Royce simply nodded as he tucked the small blade away in his waistband, not trusting his voice.

Kenna returned the nodding gesture then took Oberyn's arm and let herself be guided to a seat in-between Lord Mace Tyrell and Prince Oberyn. She was grateful in this moment that Lord Baelish and Lysa were seated on the other side of the line nobles to the right of Cersei.

Pycelle announced the beginning of the trial.

Lord Royce and Ser Meryn took to the centre of the arena. Lord Royce stood over a head taller than his challenger but Ser Meryn looked bloodthirsty and the only time he had taken his eyes off Lord Royce was to send Kenna a vindictive toothy grin. Ser Meryn's message was clear to Kenna.

_I am going to kill him, and I am going to enjoy doing it while you watch. Helpless to intervene._

As Pycelle retreated Ser Meryn struck without warning with his sword but Lord Royce parried with his long sword. They started to circle each other as the Kingsguard continued to probe the Valeman's defensive skills. Ser Meryn was clearly the more light-footed but one accurate swing from Lord Royce with his heavy long sword and his amour wouldn't save him.

Lord Royce started his first attack after a parried blow but Ser Meryn swiftly dogged it and landed a cutting strike on the midriff of the old Lord.

To Lord Royce's credit he didn't cry out but the wound was bleeding and would eventually slow him down. A few clashed later and Lord Royce launched another sweeping arc of his long sword that sliced nothing by air. The result was the same Ser Meryn landed another piercing blow. But not a killing blow.

And that is when Kenna realised that what she was watching wasn't a fight. It was a beating. She was watching a skilled warrior torment a foe that could never have hoped to beat him.

Kenna's whole body tensed as the cold reality of the situation washed over her. She was going to watch another person she loved die before her very eyes and she had no power to stop it.

"It is not over yet," a rich voice said.

Kenna looked to her left to see Prince Oberyn had leaned over to her slightly but his attention was still absorbed in the fight.

Kenna returned her gaze to the arena in time to see Lord Royce block a swing of Ser Meryn's blade and shoulder shove him back a few paces. Her mentor looked ragged and he was covered in red patches but the Kingsguard was breathing heavily too.

"No but it will be soon," Kenna said trying to prepare herself for what was about to happen. She felt a warm hand cover her own.

"There are worse way to die. Your Lord Royce is a warrior he would want a warriors death," Prince Oberyn murmured as he rubbed his thumb over Kenna's hand in a comforting gesture.

Kenna appreciated Oberyn's attempts at comfort but she wasn't a warrior. A death was still a death whether it happened in combat or in bed. The person was still gone and it was the living that felt the pain of their loss.

The sound of metal on metal refocused Kenna's mind on the battle commencing below her. Ser Meryn and Lord Royce were holding their swords against the other's as the contest became one of brutal strength. Lord Royce as the bigger man seemed to have the edge as he started to lean down on Ser Meryn's sword using his height as an advantage.

Suddenly Ser Meryn withdrew his force behind his pushing momentum and once Lord Royce's sword had struck the floor he punched Lord Royce straight on the jaw with the hilt of his sword and the older man fell backwards releasing his grip on his long sword so that it clattered to the floor. Ser Meryn rained down punch upon punch on Lord Royce's face so that his helmet fell off to reveal his bloodied and bruised face.

The only thing keeping Kenna in her seat at the moment was Prince Oberyn's hand clasped around her own.

"You can do nothing now my Lady," he whispered.

Ser Meryn kicked the long sword away lazily so that it skidded towards the crowd and away from Lord Royce's reach. The old Lord was on his knees panting after all his exertions while Ser Meryn placed the tip of his sword on the floor as if his barrage of punches had severely winded him and turned to the crowd with sweat pouring down his face.

Kenna looked at the gloating man, he didn't look comfortable in the arena anymore. His eyes were darting between the faces in the crowd and his shoulders were slack as if all his energy had seeped out of him.

"I Ser Meryn Trant, Commander of the Kingsguard declare that with the next swing of my sword I will bring justice to King Joffrey's murders," he announced as he shuffled his tired feet back around to face Lord Royce and unleash the killing blow.

As Ser Meryn began the slow arc of his swing Lord Royce with his last remaining strength launched himself upwards at the smug Kingsguard so that the sword's edge missed him and it appeared that he has brought the younger man into a hug.

After a second Lord Royce stepped back from Ser Meryn Trant and collapsed to the floor breathing heavily but still clearly alive.

Ser Meryn continued to stand above the wounded Lord with his sword resting at his side. Unmoving.

Someone from the crowd shouted at Ser Meryn's back for him to end the contest but still the Kingsguard didn't move.

The crowds murmurings grew louder until the vile man half turned around to reveal a knife sticking out of his upper torso. He then fell to his knees as he dropped his sword. He brought one shaking hand to the handle of the knife embedded in him but before he could attempt to tug the knife out he fell to his side and drew his final breath looking up into the sky above King's Landing.

The crowd was stunned into silence at the sudden turn in the fight. Lord Tywin Lannister eyed the laboured breathing of Lord Royce but it was clear he was still alive and Ser Meryn was not. He stood up as he announced the result of the trial by combat.

"The Gods have made their will known," Tywin's authoritative voice filled the air as he watched his son try to contain his exhilaration at escaping the executioner's blade. "Tyrion Lannister, Sansa Lannister, in the name of King Tommen of the House Baratheon first of his name you are hereby innocent of the crime of regicide."

Kenna sunk back into her chair at Tywin's words. Lord Royce had done it. He had killed Ser Meryn. Lord Tyrion and Lady Sansa were free. She saw out the corner of her eye Qyburn and Artys rush into the arena and her sudden blast of happiness came crashing down around her.

Lord Royce was hurt, he was dying. Kenna attempted to get up from her chair but Oberyn's firm grip on her hand kept her in place. She looked at Oberyn, "Let me go I need to go to him."

"You do not need to see him in that state," Oberyn said softly.

"He won, Qyburn is tending to him-"

"Just because you win the fight doesn't mean you survive the fight," Prince Oberyn said as his dark hazel coloured eyes looked at Kenna with a glint of sadness in them.

Kenna stood from her chair and attempted to break the hold Oberyn had on her hand but instead the Prince drew her in so that she faced away from the arena and her head was buried in his chest.

"I do this not for you my Lady but for Lord Royce. He would not want your last memory of him to be this, here. Remember him at his best moments in your life."

And that is exactly what Kenna did.

* * *

_Nine years ago …_

** _The Courtyard of the Eyrie, Seat of Power of House Arryn in the Vale_ **

* * *

Kenna remembered the many lessons the great Lord had taught her in lieu of her father's absence at the Eyrie when she ruled as regent. He had advised her but allowed her to make her own mistakes so she could truly learn from them. He had moulded her into the woman she was today. Yes certain events had affected her deeply but her reactions to those events had been forged in her interactions with Lord Royce.

Kenna remembered one such interaction with fondness.

It had been her eighteenth name day and to celebrate she had taken a few hundred proud Knights of the Vale and obliterated the Mountain Clan known as the Howlers who had dared to attack travellers who wandered the Mountains of the Moon and the High Road.

They had been nested in their mountain stronghold when Kenna's men had surprised them. They had thought they were too far in the Mountains for the Knights of the Vale to bother with them. They had been wrong. And when Kenna's knights descended on them from the hills they had howled in panic.

Kenna had watched from her horse as her well armoured and well trained army cut down the messy rabble that outnumbered them one to two. Kenna had been unconcerned with the numerical advantage the clan had presented. Each Valeman that had fallen had taken a dozen with him. It had seemed at the time a small price to pay to wipe out one of the more troublesome clans.

She had returned to the Eyrie with a satisfied gleam in her eye. No-one saw it but Lord Royce. The stocky Lord had practically hauled her down from her horse as the victorious Vale Knights dismounted their horses around them.

"Tell me what do you think power is my Lady?" Lord Royce had asked as he escorted her away from the Courtyard to somewhere more private.

"Being able to do what you want when you want to whoever you want," seeing Lord Royce's disproval at her answer Kenna tried again, "Being in control."

Lord Royce guided her to the High Hall that contained the Weirwood throne before grabbing both her shoulders.

"No. Power isn't control at all. Power is strength, and giving that strength to others. A leader isn't someone who forces others to make themselves stronger; a leader is someone willing to give their strength to others that they may have the strength to stand on their own."

Lord Royce released Kenna's shoulders, "What you did today, you didn't do that for the Vale. You didn't wipe out an entire Mountain Clan to strengthen the Vale. You did it because today is your name day, today is your sister's name day. And it reminds you of what happened at Pyke which angers you. You wiped out an entire Mountain Clan to make yourself feel better. Does that sound like a good use of your power my Lady?"

Kenna shook her head in response but kept her eyes on the stone floor.

Lord Royce stepped closer to Kenna and placed a finger on the young woman's chin to lift her eyes to meet his own.

"The measure of a person is what they do with the power they possess. You have a great deal of power my Lady due to your rank. But rank does not confer privilege or give absolute control. It imposes responsibility. Do you understand?" the towering Lord had asked.

Kenna nodded. She understood Lord Royce's lesson and it was on this day that her successful regency over the Vale had begun. This had been the day that she had left the Bloody Falcon behind and become the Lady of the Eyrie.

But Kenna hadn't lost that vicious streak Lord Royce had identified in her on her eighteenth name day. She had subdued it for Lord Royce as he had been right. Wielding power inferred responsibility to use it wisely. But sometimes you just wanted to crush your enemies and watch the world burn without thinking about the consequences.

She felt like that now in the arms of Prince Oberyn.

* * *

Oberyn unfurled her from his embrace. Kenna looked around her. The crowd had mostly vanished no doubt to spread the news of the outcome of the trial by combat. Prince Oberyn and Kenna where the only nobles left under the sun cover.

Kenna looked down at the arena. Ser Meryn's body remained as its had been but Lord Royce was nowhere to be seen and neither were Qyburn and Artys. Only the Vale Lord's abandoned long sword and a pool of blood indicated that he had ever been there. Kenna stared at that pool of blood.

Prince Oberyn noticed where Kenna's eyes lingered. He hopped down into the arena and bent over Ser Meryn's body. He pulled Kenna's knife out of the dead Kingsguard and retrieved Lord Royce's long sword.

Oberyn gracefully returned to Kenna and presented her with the knife, "I believe this is yours."

Kenna returned the knife to her wrist without a word. She didn't care that Oberyn knew the knife was hers. She didn't care about much at the moment. She felt numb. Her mind was replaying ever slice of Ser Meryn's sword that cut through Lord Royce's fleshed and every pained groan that had erupted from Lord Royce's mouth each time Ser Meryn's fist had connected with her beloved mentor's face. But most of all her mind was replaying the still image of Lord Royce's blood pooled on the arena floor.

Kenna turned from the arena and started to walk back to the Red Keep. Prince Oberyn walked in her shadow carrying Lord Royce's long sword, close enough to let her know he was there but far enough away to not intrude on her personal thoughts.

* * *

_Half an hour later …._

**Qyburn's laboratory, Red Keep, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Kenna stood outside Qyburn' laboratory. She could hear the busy activity behind the door. Qyburn occasionally yelled for something and then Arty's could be heard running frantically around the lab searching out what ever Qyburn determined he needed at that moment.

Kenna placed her hand on the door but could not find the strength to push the door open. _Oberyn was right, I want to remember Lord Royce as he was not a beaten pulp of flesh._

Or that is what she told herself.

The truth was she simply couldn't face the consequences of her decision. She didn't want to acknowledge that she was responsible for the situation behind Qyburn's door. Kenna couldn't handle seeing Lord Royce's cold body as she had Lady Brienne's so she walked away.

When she eventually turned the corner to see the door to her chambers she spotted her handmaidens loitering outside it. She knew they were Cersei's spies. As the three girls saw her approach they rushed to her with honey soaked words of concern and false expressions of worry. Kenna brushed them off with blunt politeness but when one grabbed her arm she exploded.

"Fuck off, all of you just fuck off back to your snake pits and stay there," Kenna shouted. When none of the three girls removed themselves from the corridor Kenna decided to remove herself. She needed air, space and the sky's calming presence.

She practically ran to her destination and was thankful no guards had found her yet since Prince Oberyn had escorted her to Qyburn's chambers.

Kenna full on sprinted through the corridors of the Red Keep as she drew closer to her end point. She didn't care for the pain in her legs as she ran or the thumping of her heart warning her she was overexerting herself.

She bent over in exhaustion as she stared up at the stairs. She was at the bottom of the Tower of the Hand. She started her ascent up the stairs to the place she felt safest.

The roof of the Tower of the Hand.

Since she was a child she had always run to the highest point she could find when she was upset and as a woman she was no different. She always felt safer the closer to the sky she was. The fact Ser Meryn Trant had threatened her on the roof made the place even more alluring to Kenna as he was now dead while she remained alive.

Kenna started to pass the door to the Hand's chambers and she caught the eye of the two guards standing watch on either side of the door. Her mind went to the person who was behind that door.

Her anger built.

If Tywin was able to see his son as he truly was he would have known Tyrion wouldn't be so stupid as to kill a King and not have an escape plan. If Tywin knew his own son, Tyrion wouldn't have been put on trial. If Tywin had any interest in true justice he would have stopped his daughter from influencing the trial. If Tywin had been a fair judge there would have been no need for a trial by combat. There would have been no need for Lady Brienne to die or her squire. There would have been no need for Lord Royce to be in the arena with Ser Trant. There would be no need for Lord Royce to be _dying_.

* * *

_A few seconds later …_

**The Hand's Study,** **Tower of the Hand, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Kenna charged into Tywin's study ignoring the shouts from his guards who had failed to bar her entry. Tywin waved his guards off with a flick of his hand, he could handle Kenna.

He let her pace before his desk with pend up energy as he continued to write out instructions for Jamie on how to counter the Greyjoy raids that had been mauling the Westerland's coast in recent weeks. His son was due to arrive at Casterly Rock in a few days with most of the Lannister army at his back having subdued the Riverlands with overwhelming might.

Tywin flicked his eyes to the agitated Lady before him. He deduced her flustered state was because of Lord Royce current situation laying on a slab in Qyburn's lab with the odd man trying to save his life.

_Does she blame me for the outcome of the Trial? _Tywin wondered.

From his point of view it was Tyrion who had demanded the trial by combat and it had been Kenna who had offered up Lord Royce to be his champion but Tywin knew that ultimately it was his fault that Tyrion had demanded the trial by combat. As there wouldn't have been a need for a trial if Joffrey hadn't died and Joffrey would never have died at his own wedding if Tywin and Olenna Tyrell hadn't orchestrated his murder.

Tywin distracted with his own thoughts missed the opportunity to react to Kenna's sudden lunge as she launched herself around the desk and held her hidden blade against his throat.

Tywin's eyes narrowed as he took in his new situation.

"If you call for your guards I will slit your throat," Kenna said in a voice barely containing her emotions.

Tywin remained motionless in his chair with the knife wielding Lady above him. Her knee was between his legs balancing her body on the chair until her other leg planted itself on the floor. One hand held the knife at Tywin's throat while the other gripped his shoulder.

"You wouldn't escape this room," Tywin said in a sharp voice as if the knife between them didn't exist.

Kenna smirked remembering how they had escaped this room the last time her life was in danger, "I know a secret tunnel or two that would do the trick. Besides I saved your life in this very room. Your life is mine to take. Consequence be damned," she growled.

"Why," Tywin said softly.

"Why," repeated Kenna with a puzzled look on her face.

"Why come here to kill me instead of tending to Lord Royce's last moments in this world. If he truly means so much to you why are you here and not there?" Tywin asked with interest shining in his eyes. Kenna's hesitance to answer allowed Tywin to continue. "I think I know why. You blame yourself for volunteering him, you knew there was a possibility that he would die but you never allowed your heart to process the idea. Now you are here, finding a place to direct your anger and grief when you should be standing above Lord Royce's body begging for his forgiveness. He would never have refused a command from you."

Tywin's words had hit the nail on the head as Kenna yelled,"I didn't command him to do anything." But deep down she knew Lord Royce would have done anything she had wanted. Commanded or not.

Kenna's raised voice triggered the guards to come back into the room and as soon as they saw the position their liege lord was in they drew their weapons and slowly made their way over to the two nobles.

Tywin turned his head slightly to acknowledge his two guards. "Stop, return to your posts."

"M'Lord-," they both started to protest as they eyed the woman who was seriously close to ending the Old Lion's life.

"Now," Tywin demanded as he returned his gaze to the Lady currently threatening his life.

The guards sheathed their swords and trudged back beyond the door and closed it.

Kenna's grip on her knife hadn't faltered nor had it moved an inch from his skin throughout the encounter with the guards.

Kenna looked from the closed door back to Tywin,"You knew Tyrion was innocent and you put him on trial anyway. Why?"

Tywin frowned. _Did she know the truth?_ "And how did I know he was innocent?"

"Because if Tyrion had murdered Joffrey he would have been half way across the Narrow Sea to Essos before his nephew's body had hit the floor. Your youngest son is many things but he isn't a fool. He wouldn't have murdered a King and left himself to the mercy of his _loving_ family."

Tywin couldn't argue with her words.

"So what don't I know," Kenna asked as she applied enough pressure with her blade to nick his neck. A drop of blood made its way down Tywin's adam's apple as he considered his response. If she didn't believe his next words there was no doubt in his mind that the blade currently biting into his throat would end his life.

"I killed Joffrey."

Kenna's mind went blank, _What?_

Tywin saw his opportunity and grabbed Kenna's wrist that held the blade and pushed it away from his throat as he rose from the chair he half picked her up and slammed her down on to his desk. He pinned her blade wielding hand to his desk with his own as he hovered over her.

He was about to make a remark about their reversal in fortunes but he again felt the cold steel of a blade at his throat. _How many bloody knives does this woman have, _he exclaimed in his head.

Kenna couldn't hide the small smile that picked up the corners of her mouth at the annoyed look that flashed on Tywin's face as she struck out with her other hidden blade.

Tywin slowly backed away from Kenna allowing her to slide off his desk but her knife followed him as he straightened up.

Wincing as she moved Kenna asked, "Why did you kill Joffrey? He was your grandson."

"Sometimes a King must die so that the realm can live."

"He was the one who tried to have you killed," Kenna said connecting the dots from the events of the last few weeks.

"Yes," Tywin confirmed from behind her knife. "My own grandson tried to kill me. I thought I had him under control but I forgot life isn't like a game of cyvasse. Just because you have the King surrounded, don't mean he is not capable of hurting you."

Kenna rolled her tongue around her mouth digesting the new information.

"Who were you going to pin Joffrey's death on if not Tyrion?"

"Peter Baelish," Tywin said without any hesitation. "But my daughter and son's quarrel got in the way of that plan."

Kenna's eyes flashed at his words. _That is why he wanted those assassins bodies hidden so there would be no obvious motive for him to kill Joffrey and _t_hat is the real reason Littlefinger was invited to Joffrey's wedding, Tywin was setting him up. He was truly keeping his promise. _

"Why make Littlefinger a judge on Tyrion's trial if you were going to blame him for the murder of your grandson."

"To keep him in King's Landing long enough to figure out another way to kill him." Tywin looked to the blade that still licked his skin. "I was rather hoping you would help me in that endeavour."

Kenna lowered her blade from his neck with a cat like grin on her face. She had spent a great deal of her time in King's Landing fantasising about her revenge and how to achieve it.

"I have a few ideas," she said as her entire body hummed with the many possibilities floating around in her head.

Kenna proceeded to sit in the chair opposite Tywin's desk. Tywin, after a few moments staring at the back of the chair Kenna had just slipped into walked around the desk and sat in his own chair.

"Shall we begin?" Tywin asked as if their previous altercation had not happened.

Kenna eyed the single drop of blood that had made its way from Tywin's throat to below his collar line and smiled.

"Let's."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> R.I.P
> 
> Ser Meryn Trant (Stabbed in the heart by Lord Royce with one of Kenna's hidden blade)
> 
> Killed by Lord Royce during the trial by combat fighting for the Crown (Cersei) in the matter of King Joffrey's death. He will not be missed. No-one likes men who beat little girls.


	33. The Downfall of Chaos

* * *

_Early next morning …._

**Tyrion'** **s Chambers, ** **Maegor's Holdfast, Red Keep** **, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Tyrion listened to the steady intake and fall of Sansa's breath as he kept his tired eyes on the door to their chambers. He was glad one of them had managed to get to sleep. Tyrion was slumped on a grand chair that was positioned next to the bed Sansa currently slumbered in. Despite being married for months now Tyrion hadn't progressed past the point of gently holding Sansa's hand as she fell asleep.

In truth he wasn't bothered by their lack of intimacy or the fact he slept more in a chair than in his own bed. She was still just a child to him. A beautiful traumatized child. Most men would take advantage but Tyrion wasn't most men.

What did bother him was the uncertainty of his current position in King's Landing.

Tyrion had enjoyed hearing his father declare his innocence but in amongst his joy at Lord Royce's win he had seen something that had troubled him. He had seen no emotion on his father's face. No brief flicker of annoyance that his disappointment of a son had escaped death's grasp again or any glimpse of relief that his son wasn't going to tarnish his legacy further by being both a kinslayer and a Kingslayer.

It was as if his father hadn't cared how the trial had ended. As if he was getting what he wanted whether Tyrion had been declared innocent or guilty.

In fact, the only flicker of emotion Tywin had displayed was a stern glance in the direction of Prince Oberyn when he had pulled the Lady Kenna into an embrace as Lord Royce had been carried from the arena.

Tyrion took in a deep breath as his fingers massaged his temples.

He didn't have the time to try to untangle the motives and actions of his father. He had to keep his focus on outfoxing his sister and keeping one step ahead of her. His father may not be overly concerned with his fate but Cersei was most definitely _interested_.

Tyrion had been cleared of killing Joffrey but that didn't mean things would go back to the way they were. Tyrion wiped his face with a sweaty palm as questions swirled around his head. _Am I still Master of Coin? Does Cersei still think I killed Joffrey? _

Tyrion let his head lull to one side as a wave of exhaustion passed through him. He didn't know the answer to his first question but he knew the answer to the second one. And that answer was the main reason he hadn't sleep a wink and his gaze had never travelled far from the chamber door.

* * *

An hour later ….

_ **The Hand's Study,** _ **Tower of the Hand, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Green eyes met green eyes as Cersei leaned over her father's study desk. Her rage was etched on every facet of her face.

"The Gods made their will known. Tyrion did not murder Joffrey. You will respect the outcome of the trial Cersei," Tywin warned.

"You are going to do nothing as Tyrion walks away from a Lannister corpse. _Again_," Cersei said in astonishment.

Tywin placed his quill down at Cersei's last word and increased the intensity of his stare at his daughter. To her credit Cersei didn't give back an inch of the desk to her father.

"Do not drag your _mother _into this. The two situations are not comparable," Tywin growled containing the buried emotions that stirred in him at the mention of his long dead wife.

"Why because you loved Mother but despised Joffrey?" Cersei accused.

"Because no one murdered your mother," _and I killed Joffrey,_ Tywin added in his head. "Someone murdered Joffrey and someone will pay for that I promise you."

"It was Tyrion," Cersei shouted as she finally lost her composure. "He has just been waiting to hurt me. To take the thing I loved most in this world. And if you don't make him suffer, I will."

"If you kill Tyrion, you will be tried for his murder. You would be a kinslayer. The very thing you hate Tyrion for," Tywin pointed out as he reorganised the papers on his desk.

Cersei slapped one of her hands down on the bundle of papers her father was about to move and as Tywin's eyes looked from her splayed hand up to her face she said in a confrontational tone, "If you drag me into a trial, I would reveal everything."

"We have been here before Cersei. If you reveal your children's parentage you will have sealed their fate and they will die. You have just lost one child do you really want to lose the two that you have left?"

Cersei released the papers under her hand and took a step back from the desk.

"You speak about them like they aren't your grandchildren."

"They are my bastard grandchildren," Tywin stated as he finished locking his papers away in the drawers of his desk.

"I won't let Joffrey's murderer walk free around the Red Keep while I still have breath. I can't do it, I won't do it," Cersei said while staring resolutely into her father's eyes as she crossed her arm.

Tywin saw the look of absolute conviction that covered Cersei's face as she said those words. _If only she knew exactly who she was threatening,_ Tywin thought in brief amusement. Despite his hopes for Cersei when she was a child, he knew she was no match for Lady Olenna and that was without factoring in that her own father was one half of the conspirators responsible for the late King's death.

Tywin decided to give Cersei another bone to chew on instead of Tyrion's figurative skeleton.

"Tyrion didn't kill Joffrey," Tywin said as he moved from his chair to stand beside Cersei.

Cersei read her father's calm demeanour, "If not Tyrion who? You wouldn't be so quick to dismiss Tyrion if you didn't have another suspect."

"The Gods were right on Tyrion this time and I don't merely have suspicions. I know it was Petry Baelish and Lysa Arryn who murdered Joffrey."

"What? Why would they kill Joffrey? How do you know it was them?" Cersei asked with the confusion evident in her voice.

"There will be a trial later today that will answer all your questions. Leave Baelish and Lysa to me. I will get the justice you want." Tywin placed a hand on Cersei's shoulder. "I will get the justice that Joffrey deserves."

In that moment Cersei's doubt and confusion about the situation were burned away in the supporting touch of her father.

* * *

_Same time…. _

**Lord Baelish & Lysa Baelish's guest chambers, ** **Maegor's Holdfast, Red Keep** **, King** **'** **s Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Kenna looked down her nose at her little brother as he threw a flailing arm across the cyvasse board and sent the remaining pieces tumbling to the floor.

"Robin you can't just give up in the middle of a game because you lost your favorite piece," Kenna said while thumbing the dragon piece in her hand that she had just taken off the board.

"It is no fun playing without the dragon," the young boy practically squealed.

Kenna ignored the pouting boy and eyed the fallen pieces, "You want to be a great Lord someday correct?"

Robin nodded and folded his arms together.

"Well to be a great Lord or a great leader you need to be able to make difficult decisions, decisions other people cannot or will not make," Kenna said while observing how Robin avoided eye contact as he took a petulant sip from his cup.

No matter, these words were more for Kenna's own benefit than they were for Robin's.

"You need to know what to sacrifice to get what you want. How to sacrifice it and when to sacrifice it to achieve the most optimal outcome." Robin remained quiet and continued to take occasional sips from his cup, showing no sign that he was truly understanding Kenna's words so she continued, "I was taught that concept years ago over a game of cyvasse. And much like you today I got picked apart on the board by my opponent but I learnt my lesson as I hope you have learnt yours."

"That I can still win the game without a dragon?" Robin said in an uncertain tone.

"Yes, if the dragon's sacrifice on the board is part of your larger strategy to win the game. But of course, you actually need a strategy then which you clearly didn't have," Kenna said disapprovingly.

Robin not use to being directly criticized sat back in his chair in a huff and asked, "Where is my mummy?"

"I am sure she will be here soon," Kenna answered while resettling in the chair opposite Robin. Everyone knew Lady Lysa never left Robin alone for long lest he actually realized he could function without mummy dearest tending to his every whim.

"While we wait how about you pick up the cyvasse pieces on the floor and reset the board?" Kenna suggested.

"Why me? A servant will come and pick them up anyway," Robin pointed out childishly.

Kenna controlled the temptation to slap the self-entitled youth in front of her and leaned forward in her chair engulfing the space between them.

"You threw the pieces on the ground so _you_ will pick them up," Kenna said in a voice that left no room for argument.

Robin eyes widened at Kenna's words and tone but he quickly started to gather up the pieces and reset the board.

As Robin populated the board Kenna was struck by how alone the boy truly was. "Is King's Landing you home Robin?"

"No, I liked the Eyrie better," Robin replied as he held out his hand for the dragon piece still enclosed in Kenna's fingers.

"Why is that?" Kenna said as she handed over the ivory dragon.

"Here is noisy and stinky. The Eyrie is quiet and it has the moon door," Robin said cheerfully.

_Ah, the moon door,_ Kenna thought to herself. In all her years as regent of the Vale she had never once had to use the moon door. She had never even had to threatened its use. But if she ever got back to the Eyrie, she knew that would change. There were traitors in the Eyrie and she fully intended to make them fly.

A squawking racket behind Kenna alerted her to her good-mother's presence.

"Robin, Robin," Lysa proclaimed as she searched her chambers for her son. She came to a sudden stop as she saw Kenna.

"Get away from my son," she screeched as she advanced on Robin and Kenna's location.

Kenna swiftly got up from her chair and blocked Lysa's path to Robin. "Robin put the cyvasse board back where you found it. Your mother and I need to exchange a few words."

Before Lysa could voice her objections at her son being ordered around Kenna whispered quickly, "I think Robin should probably not hear what we are going to discuss. Do you understand?"

"We are not going to discuss anything. Petyr will be back any moment," Lysa snarled trying to get past Kenna.

Kenna easily held Lysa in place with one hand wrapping itself around the elder woman's arm, "I doubt that. You see our little meeting right now isn't happening by coincidence."

A flash of fear shot through Lysa at that moment as she took in the situation.

"Guards … Guards," the frightened woman screamed at the closed door. But no guards came bursting through the door.

Kenna shot Lysa a menacing smile, "Your guards serve the highest bidder and today the highest bidder isn't Littlefinger."

Lysa backed away from Kenna realizing the danger she was in and looked at her son who stood still a few paces behind Kenna holding the cyvasse board. "Don't hurt my boy. Please don't hurt my baby boy."

"I am afraid it is too late for that," Kenna said and as if on cue Robin let the cyvasse board he had been holding slip through his fingers and clatter to the floor. Once again, all the cyvasse pieces were scattered across the floor but this time another playing piece fell too as Robin crumbled to the floor.

Kenna allowed Lysa to push past her to cradle her fallen son who remained silent and still. Lysa started to shake Robin and plead for him to open his eyes.

Kenna took in the scene from her position above them. She was struck by how familiar this scene was to her. Only a few months ago she had been where Lysa was now but instead of Robin it had been Alyssa on the floor.

* * *

Kenna watched as Lysa fumbled around Robin begging him to wake up. Her movements became even more frantic and she seemed to simply breakdown as she realized that Robin wasn't going to open his eyes.

Kenna scrutinized her brother's unconscious form. He wasn't much of a _sacrifice_ to her in truth. They barely knew each other and what Kenna had seen from Robin so far in his short life hadn't instilled her with confidence that he would make a great leader or ruler of the Vale. He was weak, or so Kenna told herself.

_A Great leader makes hard decisions, _Kenna reminded herself as a pang of guilt formed deep in her stomach as she watched Lysa become increasingly more agitated over Robin's unresponsive body.

Kenna saw the intake of breath that normally preceded a scream of deafening magnitude and rushed forward. She placed a hand over Lysa's mouth and roughly pulled her from Robin's limp form and shoved her against the nearby wall so that her head smacked the back of the wall with a thud.

Kenna couldn't contain the feeling of warmth that flooded through her body at the sight of the palpable fear in Lysa's eyes. The feeling overwhelmed her and chased away any guilt she held at her chosen course of action.

"Do you understand now Lysa? Do you understand the position you are in?" Kenna asked as she slowly removed her hand from the elder lady's mouth and placed it on her good mother's shoulder to keep her pinned against the wall.

"I ….. I don't understand. P .. Petyr said we would be safe here," Lysa mumbled.

"I bet Petyr says a lot of things but the reality dear good-mother is Petyr has finally pissed off the wrong people."

Kenna glanced back at Robin who was still flat on his back on the stone floor breathing softly.

"What happened to my guards," Lysa finally asked.

Kenna leaned in closer to Lysa so her mouth was practically touching her good-mother's ear, "They are still out there Lysa. Just your husband no longer pays them. I could kill you here, right now and no one would do anything about it. No one would care."

Kenna could feel Lysa start to tremble under her grip. _Good be afraid,_ thought Kenna.

"Are you going to kill me," Lysa asked in a shaky voice.

Kenna locked her eyes with Lysa's, "No, death would be too quick and clean for you. You took my father and sister away from me. So now I am going to take your son away from you. I am going to make sure you know how it feels to lose those closest to you."

Lysa's eyes widened at the implication and she started to sob as she looked beyond Kenna to Robin.

"Please … He is your brother. Please leave him alone," Lysa bubbled.

"Why would I do that?" Kenna asked growing into the role she was playing before her face darkened. "He is after all the only thing that stands in my way of reclaiming the Weirwood throne."

"You would kill your own bother?" Lysa questioned.

"Is he my brother? Or is he Littlefinger's spawn," Kenna countered enjoying toying with her good-mother. "Tell me the truth."

"I … I don't know," Lysa admitted as she tried to sink further into the wall away from Kenna's grip.

"You don't … know …" repeated Kenna slowly. Her hands balled into fists on Lysa's shoulders. "You were fucking Littlefinger while sleeping with my father."

It wasn't a question. It was a statement.

"He might be your father's," Lysa quickly spat out.

"But we can never be sure can we. I can't have the possible bastard son of you and Littlefinger ruling the Vale. My honor and pride won't allow that Lysa. I was going to let Robin live but how can I let him go now that he might be Littlefinger's son?" Kenna questioned the wall behind Lysa.

"Please let him go, give him the antidote to whatever you gave him. He is a child please I'll do anything. Just let him live," Lysa pleaded.

"Anything?"

Lysa nodded.

"There is something that will convince me to spare Robin," Kenna said immediately.

"Anything," Lysa said with desperation clinging to every syllable.

"Confess."

Lysa's eyes snapped to Kenna's, "Confess to what?"

Kenna brought her face to within a breath's distance of Lysa's.

"Everything. Confess to the murder of my father. Confess to the murder of my sister. Confess to killing the King. Confess that Petyr Baelish orchestrated each death. That he convinced you with sweet nothings to murder my family for him. Confess that he killed Joffrey to amass more power in the chaos that a King's death causes."

"We didn't kill Joffrey," Lysa said meekly.

Kenna knew she spoke the truth but someone needed to take the fall and the Gods knew Lysa and Littlefinger deserved it.

"Confess to everything I just said or Robin won't see another sunrise."

"But I swear we didn't-"

Kenna placed a finger on Lysa's mouth shushing her into silence. "Lysa, Lysa, Lysa you might not have noticed this yet but I am not interested in the truth anymore. The truth won't save Robin. Doing exactly what I say will save Robin. Understand?"

Lysa nodded her understanding.

"Excellent, there is no time to waste then. The trial will begin soon."

"Trial?"

"Yes, Lord Baelish will face a trial for Joffrey's murder and I guess as his co-conspirator so will you."

Lysa slide down the wall in despair as Kenna shouted for the guards. Two stocky men entered the room and under Kenna's commands one took Robin to Qyburn's lab and the other escorted a distraught Lysa to the Black Cells.

_Don't worry good mother you will have company in your cell soon,_ Kenna thought with glee.

* * *

_A few minutes later …_

_ **Courtyard, Red Keep, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms** _

* * *

If any noble or servant was to watch the animated conversation that Lord Varys and Lord Baelish were holding with each other it would have been a reasonable assumption that the conversation would develop into one of their normal battle of wits that they were known to have in the halls of the Red Keep.

But this time they would be wrong. This exchange of words and slights they were currently enjoying was special. It was going to be their last.

"Just admit it Lord Varys. You missed me when I wasn't here to keep you on your toes. No other man can quite make you feel the way I do," Littlefinger said in a suggestive tone.

"I admit I missed … the challenge you posed me," Lord Varys conceded as they both focused on each other.

"Have no fear Lord Varys. I will continue to pose a .. challenge to you," Littlefinger stated confidently with a grin on his face, "but just know that one day there will only be room for one of us in this city. And that day is fast approaching."

"I couldn't agree more my Lord," Varys said sweetly back at Lord Baelish.

Littlefinger faltered then.

He knew Lord Varys well enough that his words were not to be dismissed and he became aware of the unusually large amount of Lannister guards that were patrolling the Courtyard.

Varys smiled to himself. _I really will miss him. King's Landing will not be the same when he is no longer creeping in my shadow or me in his._

"I have so enjoyed our little chats over the years. You have been by far the most interesting and competent opponent I have ever come across but it seems your past misdeeds have finally caught up to you. I am afraid this is goodbye my old friend. We will not see each other again," Varys said in a sad tone as red clad hands dragged Lord Baelish away down one of the adjoining halls to the Courtyard.

All eyes in the courtyard watched as the sly Lord was manhandled away and as soon as Lord Baelish's protests faded from the air servants and nobles alike erupted into a flurry of activity. Something was going on in King's Landing involving Lord Baelish today and no one wanted to be the last to find out what.

Varys chuckled at the human nature on display. Everyone enjoyed the spectacle of a great fall from grace. Varys suspect a lot of the nobles in King's Landing were going to enjoy Lord Baelish's fall a great deal but none more so than Lady Kenna. The woman Lord Baelish had sought to replace as leader of the Eyrie. The woman whose family Lord Baelish's machinations had all but destroyed. Varys felt a bit of regret at not being the one to cause Littlefinger's downfall but Lady Kenna was a worthy replacement and one Varys was happy to step aside for.

* * *

_An hour later … _

**Black Cells, Red Keep, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Tywin strode through the corridor of the Black Cells. An open door to his right revealed Lysa Arryn chained to the wall but she was not who he had come to see. She was but a puppet. Tywin was interested in the puppet master. He continued a few more paces and found the cell that contained his former Master of Coin.

Petry Baelish, Lord of the Eyrie stood before him chained to the wall like his weak-willed wife but where there had been panic and terror on Lysa's face there was a calm calculating look on Baelish's face.

_He thinks he can turn this situation around,_ Tywin thought in amusement as he stepped into the cell and closed the door behind him.

Tywin didn't allow himself to enjoy much but he was going to enjoy the look on the sly Lord's face when he realised that he was doomed and that the executioner's blade was going to cut short his meteoric rise through Westeros society.

"My Lord Hand there has been some sort of … misunderstanding-," the chained Lord started.

"There has been no misunderstanding Baelish, I ordered your arrest myself," Tywin stated clearly.

"On what grounds?"

Tywin's eyes gleamed at the captured Lord, "On the grounds you were behind Joffrey's murder."

"Ridiculous," Baelish hissed. "Who accuses me of that?"

Tywin made sure the younger man was watching his face when he replied, "Your wife."

"What?" Littlefinger held back what he was going to say and took a few moments to construct his response. "She is unwell my Lord. She says things that aren't truth, only the Gods know why."

"Maybe she does but she isn't the only one who accuses you."

Littlefinger shifted nervously in his chains, he had many enemies in King' Landing. "Who else accuses me?"

"You will find out soon enough at your trial."

"You are going to put me on trial," Littlefinger exclaimed. "I will need a few days to construct my defence and call my own witnesses."

Tywin smirked. "You have a few hours and, in that time, you won't be leaving this cell."

This was the moment that Littlefinger's confident charade cracked a little under the weight of Lord Tywin's words. He was trapped and he finally admitted to himself he was in real danger.

"Why come after me. You can't possibly think I would kill Joffrey, why would I? There is no reward in it for me."

"To spread chaos, you do have a talent for taking advantage in such situations and amassing more and more power ."

"I already have enough power my Lord I do not need anymore."

Tywin scoffed loudly, "We both know that is a lie. "

"I am your ally. I hold the Vale for you. I am loyal to you my Lord."

"You are only my ally for as long as it suits you and are loyal only to yourself Lord Baelish. As for the Vale, you were never really in control of it. The people of the Vale are proud they would have risen up against you eventually and I would have had another rebellion on my hands."

"Lady Kenna has been whispering in your ear, hasn't she? Did she promise to bring the Vale under control if you killed me?"

"No, our arrangement is much simpler than that. Death for life."

Littlefinger remained confused for a second before he worked out the meaning of Tywin's words. "She promised to provide you with noble heirs by Jamie. Yes of course at your age it is all about what one can leave behind. It is all about legacy. One grandchild on the Throne. One grandchild ruling the Westerlands. And one ruling the Vale if you are lucky. Perhaps even one ruling the Reach. Quite the legacy you plan on leaving behind."

"Shame you won't be around to see it."

"Shame it will never come to pass," Littlefinger sneered.

"Oh?" Tywin played along as he stepped closer to the bound Lord.

Littlefinger aimed a coy smile at Tywin, "Jamie won't sire any children with Lady Kenna. They have been married a few months now and I am sure you have noticed the fact Kenna isn't pregnant yet."

"What is your point, Baelish?"

Littlefinger had conceded to himself that he couldn't talk his way out of his current situation but he would settle for burring as many worlds to the ground as he could in the process, starting with Tywin's.

"Jamie fucks Cersei. The rumours are true. The royal children aren't Robert Baratheon's but Jamie's bastards. You won't have a grand legacy of grandchildren ruling Westeros because your own fucking children are pathetic twisted human beings. And they are the way they are because of you and y-"

Littlefinger stopped his triad of insults as he eyed the Old Lion calmly standing in the centre of his cell. There was no burst of anger or even a tremble of rage in Tywin at Littlefinger's words. This wasn't the reaction that Littlefinger had expected. He had wanted to burn Tywin's world to the ground and he thought he had had the perfect ammunition to do just that.

"You …. You know about them," Littlefinger said taken aback at this newfound knowledge.

"Yes, I do."

Littlefinger slumped against the wall. "I was dead the moment I walked through the gates of King's Landing wasn't I?"

Tywin nodded, "You are responsible for the deaths of the last two Hands, do you think I would allow you an opportunity to add to your tally?"

Littlefinger made one last attempt to plead for his life.

"Yes, I orchestrated the deaths of Eddard Stark and Jon Arryn but I had no involvement in your grandson's death. Let me live and I can find out who killed Joffrey you know I could. I am more useful to you alive than dead."

"In the past I would have agreed with you but now there are more reasons to kill you than to tolerate you."

"If you let me live, I will find out who murdered Joffrey," the desperate Lord pushed.

"Yes, I suspect you would. Another reason you won't live to see another day."

"What ... I ... don't understand."

"No, you don't," Tywin said as he turned his back on Lord Baelish and walked out of the room. It was time to set the stage and keep his promise to Lady Kenna.

_A Lannister always paid their debts and an Arryn always keeps their word. _These were the unofficial mottos of House Lannister and House Arryn and they were well earned.

* * *


	34. Revenge and Justice

* * *

_That afternoon …_

**Throne room, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

"Ah Lady Kenna, I have been meaning to speak to you," a rich voice floated over to her.

Kenna turned to face the approaching Prince Oberyn. After the Prince had kissed both her hands, he offered her his arm.

"Please allow me the honour of escorting you to the trial," he said with a cheery grin on his face.

"Of course," Kenna said as she took his arm and they glided down the corridor to the Throne room.

"I hear Lord Royce's condition hasn't improved since yesterday?" Oberyn casually commented as they walked in synch.

"Qyburn is still with him. All I can do is pray," Kenna responded with a solemn look on her face.

"I will pray too then; Lord Royce is a good man." When Kenna didn't carry the conversation on Oberyn changed tactics. "It seems that trials have become all the rage in the capital, much like how weddings seemed so popular a few months ago."

Kenna tried to supress her smile as she replied, "Is there any difference between the two? The outcomes seem to be the same." _Someone always dies at the end._

Prince Oberyn gave her a wary look, "The outcome of this trial is not fixed my Lady. The judges have yet to pass their judgement on Lord Baelish and Lady Lysa. Unless you know something, I don't?"

_I know a lot of things you don't,_ Kenna mentally replied as they stepped into the Throne room. "Of course not my Prince. Please excuse me," Kenna said politely as she wondered into the sea of nobles that had gathered to see the last performance of the Mockingbird.

Oberyn's dark pupils followed Kenna as she found Lady Sansa and Lord Tyrion on the benches. He continued to stare in her direction. To Oberyn, Kenna seemed more at ease in the capital since their dance at Joffrey's wedding and he couldn't help but wonder what had changed in the past week and a bit to spark that transformation in her.

A deep voice snapped him out of his trance. "Has something caught your attention Prince Oberyn?"

The tanned warrior turned gracefully to come face to face with Tywin Lannister.

"Just the beauty of the Throne room I assure you," Oberyn replied not wanting to reveal where his true focus had been.

"Mmm," Tywin responded and raised his arm to point towards the Iron Throne, "Shall we?"

Prince Oberyn obliged Tywin and started to walk towards his allocated seat as a judge on the trial. Mace Tyrell was already by his chair waiting on Tywin.

Tywin followed Prince Oberyn's every step till they reached the stairs that led to the throne. Tywin took his seat on the Throne while Oberyn sat to his right. Tywin looked out into the crowd. The young Tyrells sat together around Lady Olenna. Lady Sansa sat between Tyrion and Kenna. Pycelle and Varys had merged in with the Westeros nobility sitting at the back of the room while Cersei was nowhere in sight.

Silently Tywin thanked the Gods. He had told Cersei if she couldn't contain her emotions during the trial she shouldn't turn up. It looked like she had finally taken his advice.

Suddenly a quiet hush befell the crowd and all eyes turned to the Throne room doorway as Lord Petyr Baelish, hands encased in iron, was guided to the centre of the room to stand before the Throne and in-between the seated nobility.

* * *

Kenna didn't take her eye off Littlefinger for even a second as he was escorted to stand side on right before her. She wanted to have every aspect of his defeat locked away in her memories forever.

"Lord Baelish, you stand accused of killing the King. How do you plead," Lord Tywin's voice bounced around the Throne room.

"Not guilty naturally," came Littlefinger's smooth reply as he looked up at Tywin.

Tywin looked down at Littlefinger and flexed his fingers against the arm of the throne, "I warn you now Lord Baelish that it is in your interests to speak the truth."

"I would speak the truth if I knew what it was," Littlefinger said sincerely. "All I know is that I am not responsible for Joffrey's death."

"Bring in the first witness," Tywin demanded ignoring Littlefinger's attempt at fake sincerity.

Lady Lysa Baelish trembled her way to the pulpit and preceded to slightly shake as she sat down.

"Tell me what you know of the murder of my grandson?" Tywin asked in a dominant voice.

Lysa took a few seconds to spit out her first word and Kenna could tell she was resisting the urge to look back at Littlefinger," I … I know that King Joffrey was murdered by my husband."

A round of gasps escaped the gathered crowd at Lysa's admission.

"Go on," Tywin encouraged.

"Petyr slipped a poison into Joffrey's cup during the wedding celebration feast when everyone was dancing," Lysa lied.

"And why would he do that?" Tywin demanded.

"To take advantage of the chaos that King Joffrey's death would cause," Lysa shifted uncomfortably in the witness box. "My husband has a certain talent for bending unrest in his favour and making deals to enhance his standing and power."

Kenna smiled as she heard her own words come out of Lysa's mouth. Revenge was sweet. It was even better when the two people you hated most destroyed themselves.

Tywin let Lysa's words sink into the crowd before he flicked his eyes to Lady Kenna. She inclined her head slightly at him indicating that there was more to be drawn out of the traitorous wench.

Tywin redirected his attention to the paling Lady in the witness box, "Is that everything you wish to confess?"

"No, there is more." Lysa took a deep breath and looked at her feet, no doubt her mind's eye was seeing Robin unmoving on her chamber's floors.

_That's right keep thinking of sweet little Robin,_ Kenna mentally tried to communicated to Lysa.

Lysa finally raised her head to look at the judges, "I murdered Jon Arryn. I gave him Tears of Lys in his wine the night he died."

A few nobles turned to Kenna with looks of shock and Sansa enclosed her hand around hers in a supporting gesture but all of Kenna's attention rested with Lysa. Kenna leaned forward; she had been yearning for this moment for years. The moment that Lysa confessed to killing her father. So many people had died for this moment.

But there was more to come.

"I murdered my good-daughter Alyssa Arryn and attempted to kill my other good-daughter in the same way as I had killed their father when the Lannisters and Tyrells took the Eyrie," Lysa forced out of herself.

"You claimed that the Arryn sisters had tried to take their own lives, was that a lie?" Tywin asked, already knowing the truth himself.

"Yes," confirmed Lysa to the awe of the crowd behind her.

"And why did you murder your husband and good-daughter?" Tywin prodded.

"Because Petyr asked me to," Lysa replied honestly. "He said Jon Arryn was going to send my sweet Robin away to Dragon Stone. He said that Alyssa and Kenna Arryn were a threat to Robin's future rule of the Eyrie. I believed every word he told me."

With Lysa's final confession still echoing around the room Littlefinger thundered, "She is lying. She is unwell, she doesn't know what she is saying."

"Silence," Tywin shouted down at Lord Baelish. "Rest your tongue Lord Baelish or you might lose it before you lose your head." Once Tywin had stared down Littlefinger's outburst he addressed Lady Lysa, "You may stand down now."

Lady Olenna replace Lysa in the wooden witness box and proceeded to solidify the case against Littlefinger by confirming that Lord Baelish had been hovering around the high table at the time the dancing at Joffrey's wedding feast was happening and could have easily slipped something into the young monarch's goblet when no one was watching.

Lord Varys followed Lady Olenna. He confirmed that his old colleague had always harboured ambitions far above his current station and speculated that Littlefinger's end goal was the Throne itself. If there was one thing that all high-born nobles hated it was low-born nobles trying to usurp their position, and the crowd made their displeasure known with angry mutterings and disgusted glances in Lord Baelish's direction as he stood between two Lannister guards in the middle of the room.

But the final nail in Littlefinger's coffin came in the shape of a young red headed woman. Sansa slipped from Kenna's grasp and took her seat in the witness box.

Tywin eyed the young lady, she seemed more confident than the last time they had been in this situation, "Lady Sansa, do you have anything to add to today's proceedings?"

"Yes, I do," Sansa said in a clear voice devoid of any hesitation.

Tywin gestured for her to continue.

"The day before mine and Tyrion's own trial Lord Baelish visited me in the Black Cells. He wanted me to turn on my husband. To lie and say that Tyrion had poisoned King Joffrey and that Lady Kenna had been involved in the plan. He promised me that if I lied for him, he would get me out of King's Landing. That he would protect me."

"Lord Baelish wanted you to condemn my son for a crime he had committed himself in exchange for your safe passage to the Eyrie," Tywin summarised for the benefit of the seated crowd. "Why didn't you take him up on his offer? Why didn't you tell someone about his offer?" Tywin shot across the room.

Sansa seemed taken aback slightly by the directness of Tywin's questions.

"Because Lord Hand it would not have been the truth and innocent people would have died if I had accepted. And I didn't tell anyone because I didn't think anyone would have believed the word of a traitor's daughter over the word of the Lord of the Eyrie," Sansa stated with cold defiance.

_Still a Stark I see,_ Tywin thought. It was impressive that King's Landing hadn't beaten it out of her yet.

Tywin nodded at Sansa's explanation and dismissed her. He looked at his two fellow judges. They both nodded in reply to his questioning gaze. Tywin stood from the Iron Throne causing a tense silence to spread throughout the gathered crowd.

"We have enough information to make our decision. Lord Mace what is your verdict?"

The fat Lord pushed himself from his chair and looked out into the crowd, revelling in being the centre of attention.

"Based on the testimony I have heard today from Lady Lysa Baelish, Lady Olenna Tyrell, Lord Varys, and Lady Sansa Lannister I find Lord Petry Baelish guilty of the crime of regicide. But not only is he guilty of killing his King but of murdering a Hand of the King and a Lady of the Vale. He is truly a despicable man." Just when everyone in the room thought he had finished Mace Tyrell started again. "I also find Lady Lysa Baelish guilty of murdering her first husband and her good-daughter as well as the attempted murder of Lady Kenna Lannister. May they both rot in the Seven Hells."

Tywin quickly turned to Prince Oberyn so that Lord Tyrell wouldn't have another opportunity to add to what he had already said.

"Yes, guilty both of them for everything. The King, the Hand and the Lady," Oberyn said in a lazy tone as if he had gotten bored halfway through Mace Tyrells speech and just wanted to leave.

Tywin rounded off the judgement, "It seems Lord Baelish you and your wife have been unanimously declared guilty on all counts. There is no need to drag this stain on our history on any longer. Ser Ilyn Payne take the two prisoners and prepare them for the executioner's blade immediately."

The gruff King's Justice did as he was commanded and with the help of some Lannister guards, he escorted Lady Lysa and Lord Baelish from the Throne room.

Neither guilty party put up much of a fight. All Lysa's senses seemed to have left her and she was little more than a rag doll in the arms of the Lannister men. Baelish seemed to be in a state of panic, he had had so many plans, so many dreams. He couldn't face the fact that none of them would become reality now. That he had failed. That he had been beaten by an Old Lion and a Bloody Falcon.

* * *

Tyrion watched the debacle of Lord and Lady Baelish being escorted out of the Throne room. He knew that the trial was all theatre and that the real drama wasn't played out here but on the steps of the Great Sept of Baelor.

Sansa started to move from her seat to join the crowd of nobles making their way out of the Throne room and he went to join her when he noticed that Kenna had remained in her seat.

"My Lady?"

Kenna turned her head to face Tyrion, "Yes?"

"Is everything fine?"

Kenna paused before answering, "I have fought, suffered, waited and lived for the moment that I might achieve justice for my father and sister. Now that that moment is finally upon me, I feel …. empty."

"You haven't got your justice yet," Tyrion pointed out. "Littlefinger is a slippery bastard I would advise you to watch him closely until his dying breath."

Kenna nodded in agreement. "You are right. I have achieved nothing _yet_."

Kenna seemed to have made her mind up about something as she rose from her seated position with a determined look in her face. She marched towards the doorway of the Throne room flexing her hands as she went.

Tyrion watched as his good-sister strode away from him passing the Tyrells and disappearing beyond the Throne room's doors.

Tyrion stepped down from the benchs and was going to make his way out of the Throne room when he felt an unnerving presence behind him. He turned to see his father standing behind him.

"Father, a successful trial I think."

"It ended with the outcome I wanted," Tywin agreed.

"Do you think it ended with the outcome Cersei wanted?" Tyrion asked slyly. He couldn't resist trying to ruin his father's victory.

Tywin's posture changed in an instant from stiff to threatening as he leaned slightly into Tyrion's space. "As far as Cersei is concerned justice was served today for Joffrey's murder and if you plant another idea in her head, I will end you like I should have done the day you were born."

Tyrion froze at his father's words. He was use to insults and threats, Cersei had slung enough of them at him over the years but they were nothing compared to his father's warning. There was real intent behind his words and the ability to carry the clear threat out.

Tyrion looked away from his father, indicating he would heed his father's words. Tywin walked past him, leaving him alone in the Throne room.

* * *

_Half an hour later…_

**On the steps of the Great Sept of Baelor, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Kenna looked beyond the stage to the crowd. Men, women, children all jostling to get near the front to see the spectacle that follows the announcement of an execution.

Their thirst for bloody entertainment disgusted Kenna but she could understand it. When she plunged her knife into Euron repeatedly she couldn't deny the satisfaction that each stab gave her or the glee she had felt when the Mountain's severed head had fallen to the floor.

The bells in King's Landing rang out all across the city indicating that a death was imminent. The last time Kenna had heard those bells it had been for her father's funeral. How fitting it was that she now heard them for her father's murderers.

Kenna stood just off the executioner's stage, flanked by Tywin, Tyrion and Cersei. Olenna Tyrell stood just behind them with her son and grandson. Sansa had not wanted to witness another beheading on the steps of the Great Sept of Baelor and Kenna didn't blame her. Prince Oberyn and Margaery had declined to make the short trip from the Throne room to the Great Sept of Baelor, Oberyn on the ground that he had better things to be doing with his time than watching a man lose his head and Margaery on the grounds that a Lady should not witness such a thing.

Kenna did not share Margaery's opinion, nor did she think there was anything more important that she should be doing than watching Lysa and Littlefinger lose their heads. So, there she stood, with her gaze focused on the two traitors kneeling on the stage.

"Do you have any last words," Pycelle asked the doomed Lady and Lord.

Littlefinger closed his eyes in response knowing his words had brought him to this position and more words would not get him out of it. Lysa looked out into the fervent crowd that was baying for her head and started to bubble with fear.

Kenna suddenly walked forward past Pycelle, onto the stage and crouched in front of Lysa while placing her left hand on her good-mother's cheek in a comforting manner.

"Sshh Lysa ….. Lysa. Do you have any last words?" Kenna cooed.

Lysa took a few seconds to calm herself and looked into Kenna's eyes trying to muster the courage to either make a meaningful apology or beg Kenna to ask for leniency.

But no one would find out Lysa's last words. Her mouth started to move but no sound came out.

Kenna had in one slick motion pushed her hidden blade into her throat before Lysa's words could escape her mouth. Kenna didn't care for the last words of a traitor, especially one that had caused her so much pain. Lysa may not have been the mastermind behind her family's deaths or indeed her fall from the Weirwood chair but she had been the one to actually carry out the acts of murder and betrayal. There was never going to be any mercy for her.

Lysa looked slightly surprised as the blade slid into her throat and continued to stare into Kenna's eyes as her blood flowed from her throat down Kenna's hand that still appeared to cup her chin. Kenna, with her other hand held Lysa's kneeling body upright, she wanted to see the life leave Lysa's eyes before her body hit the floor.

The crowd behind her and the nobility to her left were blissfully unaware that the executions that they had gathered to see had already begun, instead thinking that the scene in front of them was a good-daughter comforting her good-mother before the executioner's blade cut her down.

Lysa's eyes began to close as she started to let go of life, her shoulders started to slump and her breathing shallowed. Lysa leaned over onto Kenna, her blood continued to spill down Kenna's hand and arm.

_Goodbye Lysa,_ Kenna thought as she slowly removed her blade from the dead woman's throat.

When Lysa's dead weight became too much for Kenna to keep upright with just one hand she let her good-mother's body fall to the wooden executioner's stage.

The sound of Lysa's body hitting the floor was followed by the surprised gasps from the crowd and feverish murmurs that erupted among the crowd as the smallfolk began to realise that Kenna hadn't been comforting her good-mother but had actually just killed her before their very eyes.

* * *

Littlefinger who had been observing Kenna's and Lysa's interactions, gulped. He knew it was his turn next. Littlefinger looked to the side of the stage. The Lannisters and Tyrells clearly hadn't known Kenna would turn executioner but didn't look like they were going to lift a finger to stop the rouge Lady. In fact Tywin waved Ser IIlyn Payne off and the mute executioner trudged off the stage with his sword still sheathed.

Kenna with her back still to the crowd in a crouching position turned her head from the still form of Lysa to Littlefinger. She had an eyrie smile on her lips as Lysa's blood spread around her.

She opened her mouth and Littlefinger half expected a cry of rage or a scream of relief to be released. What he hadn't expected was to hear her start to sing.

"And who are you, the proud lord said. That I must bow so low," Kenna sang loud enough that the first few rows of smallfolk and the watching nobility could hear. She stood from her crouching position and turned to face Littlefinger so that she was side on with the crowd. Her left hand and arm were covered in Lysa's blood where it had dripped down.

She continued as she walked towards him, "Only a bird of a different coat. That's all the truth I know."

Once she reached Littlefinger she stood behind him and placed her bloody hand on his left shoulder. "In a coat of white or a coat of black. A Falcon still has talons."

Her other hand gently rested on his right shoulder. "And mine are long and sharp my Lord. As long as sharp as yours."

"Please," Littlefinger tried.

Kenna tightened her bloody hand around Littlefinger's hair tilting his head back and whispered into his ear, "It was always going to end like this."

While she sang the next verse, she slowly sliced left to right through Littlefinger's throat with her other unstained hidden blade. "And so, he spoke and so he spoke. That Lord of Chaos and Fear."

Kenna held Littlefinger up in his kneeling position so the crowd had a clear view of the blood spraying from the thin cut in his neck as it poured to the stage's floor. "But now the winds sweep o'er his hall. With no one there to hear."

The crowd jostled and revelled in the executions they had just witnessed as the nobility silently watched from the stands.

Kenna let Littlefinger's body join Lysa's on the stage floor. For a few seconds she just closed her eyes and stood there lost in the sensation of having her revenge, having avenged her father and her sister. The need to achieve her revenge had been all consuming and now it simply flowed out of her.

Kenna opened her eyes and located the King's Justice, "Ser Ilyn Payne bring me their heads."

The mute looked to Lord Tywin who gave him a slight nod. The executioner walked onto the stage as Kenna walked off, not caring to avoid the pools of blood that had formed on the wooden stage.

* * *

Tywin watched Kenna as she walked towards him. Her hands and the lower parts of her arms were covered in wet blood.

The sated crowd had started to chant, "Bloody Falcon, Bloody Falcon," as Kenna made her way across the stage.

Tywin didn't agree with the enamoured crowd. He didn't see a Bloody Falcon, but rather a Lion gaining revenge for the deaths of her family, or a Lannister paying her debts. She had sung his song after all even if she had changed some of the words.

As Kenna approached the Lannister party Tywin moved to block her path. He looked down at the bloodied woman. She had lost that vicious gleam in her eyes she had possessed when she had walked onto the stage. It had been replaced by an exhausted countenance. Killing two people would sap your energy, especially if you had thought of little else for years, Tywin surmised.

Kenna looked up at the man blocking her exit and said in a dark tone," A Mockingbird had no chance against a Falcon."

Tywin nodded and let her pass but signalled for his guards to follow Kenna back to the Red Keep. Lady Olenna took one last look at the bloody mess on the stage and turned to leave with an unreadable expression on her face.

_I wonder what she made of Lady Kenna's display_, mused Tywin.

Ser Loras and Lord Mace quickly followed their matriarch. Tyrion stood silent behind his father taking in what had happened.

Cersei hovered by his shoulder, "She is a savage, Father."

Tywin shook his head slightly at Cersei's comment as his gaze settled on the two bodies in front of him. The way Jamie had described Euron's death, Kenna had been a savage then as she had mindlessly stabbed away until Eddard Stark had stopped her. What had happened today in King's Landing had been the work of a woman in control. Her actions had been calculated and measured. She had savoured Lysa's pain and almost ripped out Littlefinger's tongue, his most deadly weapon. Kenna had neither rushed the moment of death or let emotion take over.

* * *

_An hour later …_

**Qyburn's laboratory, Red Keep, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Kenna sat next to the table that supported the unconscious form of Lord Royce. One bloody hand was intertwined with the large hand of the Vale nobleman while the other was still in her lap.

On another table only a metre away lay Robin _Arryn_. Qyburn and Artys surrounded him.

"So Artys we have an unconscious male of approximately eleven years old and he is of a slight build. He has consumed a moderate dose of milk of the poppy a few hours ago and we need to wake him up. What would you suggest we do?" Qyburn asked like it was a game or a puzzle to be solved.

"Well I suggest we use smelling salts," Artys answered confidently.

"Hop to it then," Qyburn smiled proudly.

Kenna shifted her focus from the still form of Robin to the energetic one of Artys as he ran around the room trying to locate the smelling salts. She squeezed tighter on Lord Royce's hand. She was the last true Arryn in this world and she felt alone in this moment. Artys was her sister's son and Robin was Lysa Arryn's son and despite their very different upbringing they now had one thing in common. Kenna had killed both their fathers and she wondered if they would grow up to hate her for it.

A moan broke Kenna out of her mind and she turned her head to see Robin attempting to push himself from the table.

"Stay still my Lord," Qyburn said softly.

"Where am I, where is my mother?" a confused Robin asked.

Kenna decided against going to Robin and comforting him. Kenna didn't have the blackheart necessary to have killed Robin and she didn't have it in her to reveal Lysa's fate while she still had the poor boy's mother's blood on her hands.

"Artys please take Robin back to his chambers," Kenna asked quickly.

Artys bowed in understanding and tugged the still dazed young Lord off the table and the two boys disappeared from the room.

"You are going to have to tell him what happened eventually," Qyburn pointed out.

"Yes, I know. I just thought there would be a better time than when I am covered in his mother's blood," _and possibly father's blood,_ Kenna added in her head.

Qyburn murmured his agreement before wandering over to Kenna and Lord Royce's prone body.

Kenna plucked up the courage to ask the question that had been on her mind since she had sat down on her seat.

"Will he wake up?"

Qyburn let out a little breath, "I don't know. The cuts and wounds are healing as they should be my Lady but he still slumbers."

"Why?"

"I fear he took too many blows to the head during the trial by combat, my Lady. I think he is dying."

"No," Kenna stated.

"My Lady?"

"I refuse to let him die. You will save him," Kenna nearly broke down in that moment. "Just save him Qyburn, please."

"I will do my best. I have a few more thing to try before the Stranger can have him but I can't promise you anything my Lady."

"Just … just do what you can," Kenna said in an exhausted tone. She looked down at her red hands. It was time to wash away the actions of today.

Kenna rose from her chair and swiftly kissed the forehead of Lord Royce before exiting Qyburn's chambers and leaving him to his work.

* * *

_That evening …._

_ **Kenna'** _ **s chambers in Maegor's Holdfast, ** _ **King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms ** _

* * *

Kenna relaxed into the bath allowing the water to cover her up to her neck. The warm water immediately set about washing the blood and sweat off her body. Her bloody clothes lay to one side of the steaming bath.

Kenna leaned her head back over the edge of the bath as she took deep breaths in and deep breaths out.

Kenna had gotten what she wanted, what she had craved for so long but she knew Lysa and Littlefinger's heads had come with a price and that Tywin Lannister would demand that she pay it soon. Kenna didn't regret making her promise with Lord Tywin. She would have happily traded her own life just to ensure Lysa and Littlefinger's deaths but she got to live and actually carry out the sentence herself which was so much more than she could have hoped for.

What she did regret was the suffering Lord Royce had to go through in the Black Cells and on Qyburn's table. She also regretted the pain Robin would feel at the loss of his mother. Kenna had experienced that herself at an even younger age than Robin and that kind of loss stayed with a child.

But Kenna had to break her cycle of looking back into the past and trying to fix the wrongs that had been inflicted on her. It was time to build the future. The red mist of anger and grief that had clouded her judgement for so many years had parted from her vision and now she could see so much more and she wanted so much more.

Kenna dunked her entire head under the water for a few seconds. When she rose back up and opened her eyes, she saw that the water surrounding her had turned a light red colour.

Her mind threw her back to a conversation she had had with Jasper Egen in the belly of Casterly Rock.

"_I am scared that to achieve anything in this world you have to be a monster."_

It seemed she had her answer now. You don't have to be a monster but you have to get your hands dirty and sometimes that involved a lot of blood being spilt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> R.I.P
> 
> Lysa Baelish nee Arryn (Stabbed in the throat by Kenna Lannister nee Arryn)
> 
> Kenna was always going to be the one that ended Lysa. I wanted to make this death quite a satisfying one as to Kenna Lysa really took everything away; her father, her sister, a normal relationship with her half-brother (no relation now), the leadership of the Vale and she was responsible for the heavy defeat of the Arryn army when the Eyrie was taken as she ordered the gates to be opened. The list could go on. Hope the personal and vindictive nature of Lysa's death felt right as Kenna is no angel herself so wouldn't have taken pity on Lysa.
> 
> Petyr 'Littlefinger' Baelish (Throat slit by Kenna Lannister nee Arryn)
> 
> Again, there was no doubt in my mind that Kenna was going to be Littlefinger's killer. His death was a combination of all his scheming coming to bite him in his arse and Tywin deciding he was more useful as a scape goat than an informant, as well as having too much ambition for his liking and a habit of killing Hands of the King. I knew from the very beginning of this story that Littlefinger was going to die for something he actually didn't do as I thought it was really poetic ending for someone who did so much plotting and scheming :)


	35. Purpose

* * *

_Next day …._

**Throne Room, Red Keep** **, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

"I Tommen Baratheon, first of my name, King of the Andals and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, hereby pronounce that Kenna Lannister is the new Warden of the East and Lady of the Eyrie until her brother Robin Arryn comes of age," the boy King said under the watchful gaze of his grandfather.

The lackluster clapping of the King's Landing nobility echoed around the throne room as Kenna knelt before the newly crowned King. Those that stood behind her knew that for each title she had just gained she had killed a highborn noble. And despite the murky reputation Littlefinger had earned and the touched one Lysa had developed over the years they were still nobles and if anything got nobles nervous it was a death in their ranks, especially if another noble had done the deed.

Kenna was gracious in accepting what she already thought was her birthright, aware that Tywin Lannister would take anything less as an insult.

_Who else were they going to give the title to? My dear husband?_ Kenna internally joked.

The Vale demanded to be ruled by someone who understood their customs, anything less would have eventually resulted in a revolt and Kenna suspected the Seven Kingdoms had seen enough of war in the recent years. Kenna was the only true born Arryn left, she had already ruled the Eyrie successfully and the Lannister's thought by replacing her last name with theirs they could control her.

* * *

Kenna walked out of the throne room. No nobles got in her way or tried to engage her in conversation.

Kenna smirked at their newfound caution; _did they forget I killed Euron?_

Suddenly an arm hooked around her own and she turned her head to see the bright eyes of the Queen of Thorns staring back at her.

"Lady Olenna, what do I owe the pleasure of your company for?" Kenna inquired as the two-woman walked step in step towards the throne room doors.

The old woman had a mischievous smile on her lips. "A pleasure is it? A lot of people would disagree with you."

Kenna dipped her head slightly towards Olenna, "Most people are idiots who are unable to appreciate a good conversation."

Olenna laughed, knowing most people who shared words with her wouldn't describe what they were doing as a conversation, more jousting with verbal insults.

They turned into the corridor and Kenna let Olenna guide her towards the gardens. They found a few chairs that faced out towards Blackwater Bay.

Olenna settled into her chair as Kenna stared out into the calm bay. It was hard to imagine a raging battle happening on those stilled waters. But that is exactly what had occurred if Tyrion's stories were to be believed. Kenna was sure Tyrion had embellished some elements but this was where Stannis's first attempt at the Iron Throne had truly been lost. In a blaze of wildfire.

"Let me be the first to congratulate you on your new position," Olenna said to the Lady whose attention was still captured by the bay's soft waves.

Kenna redirected her focus to Olenna. "Thank you, although it really is just a return to an old position."

Olenna agreed, "Yes, however did you manage to get Lysa Arryn, I mean Baelish to rat out her husband. I was under the impression that she was completely enthralled by him."

"I didn't do anything, maybe her conscious finally got the better of her and she decided to unburden herself before the Stranger took her," Kenna suggested keeping her voice even, knowing that the woman next to her was an expert in court intrigue.

"As nice a sentiment as that is, we both know it is a lie." Olenna said knowingly back at Kenna. "I really enjoyed the whole performance. From the theatrics in the throne room to your bold rendition of the _Rains of Castamere_ on the steps of Baelor's Sept. A day I will never forget. As far as I am concerned a despicable man and a thoroughly insipid woman got what they deserved. Bravo my dear. I am sure you and Tywin enjoyed plotting their downfall."

At Kenna slight look of shock that her partnership with Tywin had been discovered, Lady Olenna smiled and continued.

"I mean no offence but you could never have entrapped Littlefinger in the way that you did alone or without a serious backer. And I can only think of one person who has the power and the balls to take Littlefinger down and not be persuaded by that silver tongue of his to let him live."

"Really, I can think of two," Kenna replied as she locked eyes with the cunning Tyrell matriarch.

"My, my, you think rather highly of yourself don't you," Olenna commented dryly.

"I wasn't referring to myself," Kenna said pointedly still looking at Olenna making it clear that she had been referring to the elder lady.

Olenna grinned and replied, "I knew there was a reason I liked you. It was a shame when your marriage proposal to Loras came to nothing."

"From my understanding you choose Margaery to be a Queen over Loras being a King," Kenna shot back with a hint of bitterness at what could have been.

"At the time I recall you simply being the Lady of the Eyrie not the Queen over the Mountains."

Kenna shrugged in reply, "A shame indeed then."

"Maybe after your marriage to Jamie is over you might reconsider Loras," Olenna said barely above a whisper.

Kenna couldn't hide the surprise in her voice or her face, "How do you propose to get me out of my marriage to Lord Jamie and Loras out of his marriage to Cersei?"

"Jamie is fighting the Greyjoys as we speak and men die in wars all the time or you could ask for an annulment," Olenna answered dodging the other question artfully.

Kenna scoffed as soon as the word _'annulment'_ had been uttered. Tywin Lannister would sooner start a war with the Tyrells than let Kenna annul her marriage to Jamie so she could marry Loras. The shame alone of such a deed would stain House Lannister for generations to come. And the Queen of Thorns knew that too.

_She is just fishing for my reaction to her ideas, _Kenna realised. All Olenna was suggesting were just words. They could mean nothing and everything all at once.

Kenna decided to distance herself from Olenna's plotting, she really had enough plotting of her own to being getting on with. "I have been married twice; I do not want to be married a third time. I am not like Margaery. I can't bounce from one man to another in the search for more power."

Olenna smirked, "How would you know? You haven't even had one man yet if the gossip of King's Landing is to be believed."

Kenna felt as though she had been physically slapped, such was the sharp tone in which Olenna had delivered her words.

"You probably think you have enough power all ready and don't need a man to protect you but my dear child, name me one woman in the history of Westeros that has ruled successful alone without a husband to support her."

Kenna took a few moments to recover from Olenna's remarks and replied in a strong voice avoiding a direct answer, "Maybe the thing woman have yet to learn is nobody gives you power. You just take it."

Olenna leaned forward, "I wholeheartedly agree with you but if you want to secure your power and rule your kingdom you need a partner and I am not just talking about a husband."

Kenna understood Olenna's words she was positioning the Tyrells as a possible ally for the Vale if their current venture with the Lannister's fell apart. _Crafty bitch,_ Kenna thought as she leaned back into her chair.

Olenna seeing, that more words would not persuade Kenna one way of the other, removed herself from her chair and left Kenna with her thoughts as the new Warden of the East's gaze returned to the beauty of the Blackwater Bay.

* * *

_A few hours later …_

_ **Docks, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms** _

* * *

Kenna wandered down to the docks with half a dozen Lannister guards surrounding her.

Olenna's words still rung in her ears.

The Reach would be a powerful ally to the Vale but their support was contingent on the collapse of House Lannister in King's Landing. Kenna couldn't see how that would come about. The only way to forge an alliance with the Tyrells would be through a marriage between Kenna and Loras and that would only happen if Jamie died in battle or Cersei somehow managed to defy her father. There were too many events that had to align perfectly for Olenna's suggestion of a Vale and Reach alliance to become reality Kenna decided but it was a fool's errand to predict what the future held.

Kenna let out a suffering sigh.

There was nothing certain about anything in the political games of King's Landing and Kenna had lost the drive and desire to play such games in the wake of Littlefinger and Lysa's deaths.

"It is a pity when something of such beauty makes a sound of such sadness."

The edges of Kenna's mouth curled slightly, "Prince Oberyn what are you doing here?"

The Prince approached the Lannister party, "I am sending a few things back to Dorne. To my daughters."

"I am sure that they miss you," Kenna said as Oberyn marched through the protective circle of Lannister men to walk beside Kenna.

"Yes, they do but they understand why I am here," Oberyn said in a soft voice as they walked along a pier.

Kenna nodded in return as her guards broke their circle around her to follow behind them. She too knew why Prince Oberyn was still in King's Landing.

Oberyn pointed towards a ship that was being loaded with many wooden boxes, "This ship will take gifts back to my family."

"I am sure they will appreciate them," Kenna replied diplomatically.

"It doesn't have to carry just gifts back to Dorne," Oberyn said cryptically.

Kenna stopped their pacing along the wooden pier and eyed the Lannister men who were maintaining a respectable distance from the two high born nobles.

"What are you suggesting," Kenna asked.

"You know what I want. Help me achieve it and you have a place in Dorne."

Kenna continued their walk across the pier and whispered, "You think exile in Dorne is a good reward for killing a Hand of the King?"

"I don't see what other option you have. You do want to escape King's Landing? You don't want to remain a Lannister prisoner because make no mistake my Lady, you may have been named the Warden in the East but you are no more than Tywin Lannister's puppet. Why not release the hold that man has over the both of us and flee with me to Dorne?"

Kenna took a few more steps to take in all what Oberyn had suggested.

_Kill Tywin Lannister, flee with Prince Oberyn to Dorne, live the rest of my life with every want taken cared for and no judgement, maybe even have a few bastards with Prince Oberyn. A simple life._

Kenna chuckled at her own thought process. She didn't deserve a simple life and nor did she desire one. She had a grand vision for what her future would look like and hiding out in Dorne and becoming nothing more than a highborn whore to Oberyn was not in her plans.

"I am afraid I am going to have to decline your offer. I have the Vale to rule and I can't do that from Dorne but fear not Prince Oberyn I won't get in your way. I just won't help you."

Oberyn didn't try to hide the disappointment he felt, "So you want what I want but you won't lift a finger to help me."

"I achieved my revenge without help," Kenna lied. "Maybe it is time you achieved yours without any either."

Oberyn grabbed Kenna's arm, "How do I know you won't betray me?"

"There is nothing to betray you for. You haven't done anything and I have known what your goal is since the moment you arrived in King's Landing and Tywin Lannister knows it too," Kenna answered but when Oberyn didn't release her she added. "I want my freedom Prince Oberyn, I don't necessarily get that from Tywin Lannister's death and I certainly don't get that by being an exile in Dorne."

Oberyn silently released her arm finally realising their goals were not as aligned as he had first thought.

The dark cloud of disappointment remained on Oberyn's face. Kenna decided that there was no more to speak of so rejoined her Lannister guards. Before departing the pier, she glanced back at Oberyn who had remained where she had left him but he had his back to her now and was watching the ships sail out of the harbor.

Kenna couldn't help but feel a slight loss at the sight of the Dornish Prince's back. Now that it was clear that their goals were not the same, she would no longer enjoy his exhilarating company or his confidence.

Kenna shook her head as she climbed back up the steps to the Red Keep. She was a ruler and she couldn't forge alliances on personal friendships or individual wants. The Vale was counting on her and she fully intended to make it back to her people. Both Olenna's and Oberyn's suggested course of actions wouldn't achieve that.

But her own would, she was sure of it.

* * *

_That evening …_

**The Hand's Study,** **Tower of the Hand, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Olenna faced Tywin as she took a sip of wine, "I did as you asked."

Tywin stared across his desk at his counterpart, "And?"

"She didn't take the bait. I mentioned the possibility of a marriage to Loras but she didn't seem taken with the idea. Nor removing Jamie from their marriage," Olenna reported.

Tywin relaxed a little at Olenna's words and allowed himself a taste of the wine he held in his hand.

Olenna observed Tywin's demeanor, "In my own opinion which I value very highly, she doesn't know how strong our alliance really is and correctly suspects that the Vale can't match what the Westerlands offers the Reach."

Tywin put down his goblet, "Good."

"Are you going to tell me what your plans are for Lady Kenna? The Vale's cooperation might come in handy when the Targaryen girls turns her attention to Westeros."

When Tywin remained silent and took another sip of his wine Olenna tapped her fingers impatiently on Tywin's desk.

"We killed a King together, and you don't trust me?" Olenna feinted being insulted.

Tywin stood from his chair and went to refill his cup and refilled Olenna's as well, "I am undecided on my approach in ensuring the Vale's cooperation."

Olenna looked up to Tywin, "How unlike you."

Tywin returned to his seat, "And how would you deal with her?"

"Oh, I would have executed her the moment the Eyrie was captured," Olenna stated firmly. "She wants to rule and she has the rare mentality capacity and ability in a woman to actually rule well. She reminds me a little bit of myself actually. But since we are where we are, I would suggest you drag back your eldest son and make sure Kenna is pregnant before winter arrives. I talk from experience when I say there is nothing more detrimental to a woman's ambitions than having children to look after and worry about."

Tywin nodded as he took in Olenna's advice. Her words only confirmed his thoughts. Kenna needed to be with child and soon if the Vale cooperation was going to be tied with the alliance of the Crown, Lannisters and Tyrells. The Riverlands were under Lannister control and from the scout reports Robb Stark had decided to take his forces to the Wall so the North wasn't a pressing concern for now. Jamie was going to crush the Greyjoys and that left the Dornish and Stannis Baratheon. Tywin wasn't sure which posed the bigger threat but both would have to be dealt with.

* * *

_Next morning …._

**The Hand's Study,** **Tower of the Hand, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

"You summoned me," Kenna announced as she entered Tywin's study with a Lannister guard escorting her in.

Tywin didn't even look up from his letters but gestured for the guard to approach the desk.

"Tell Ser Ilyn Payne that the High Sparrow is to be executed tomorrow at noon. It is high time that he and his faithful met with the Gods they say they love so much."

"His death will cause riots, my Lord," the guard replied in a cautious voice.

"His current speeches cause riots as well. He can give multiple speeches but he can only die once. Give my order to Ser Ilyn Payne," Tywin demanded.

The Lannister guard quickly left Kenna in the centre of the room as Tywin returned to stamping some letters.

Kenna soothed the annoyance that was building in her at being ignored. _I am Warden of the East, Lady of the Eyrie. If you want to play games, let us play games._

Kenna looked at the chair that was opposite the sitting Lord Hand and knew she was expected to sit there and wait.

Kenna didn't do waiting or do what was expected.

Instead she turned and walked through the door she had just come through to the room that contained the Small Council table. She saw what she was after and went towards it. Kenna stretched and reached for the object that had her interest. On her tiptoes she managed to grab the crossbow off the wall.

She sat at the head of the Small Council table as she inspected the crossbow. It was dust covered but already loaded. She aimed it at the chair opposite her. When she felt eyes on her she pulled the trigger.

The bolt took less than a second to imbed itself in the chair at the other end of the table.

Kenna turned to face Tywin. His eyes travelled to the pierced chair then back to the crossbow in Kenna's hands.

"There are no more bolts left," Kenna stated for Tywin's benefit.

At Kenna's words, Tywin walked to the other end of the table and proceeded to pull the bolt from the chair with a grunt.

He chucked the bolt back onto the table.

Kenna flicked her eyes from the bolt to Tywin's face noting the slight edge in his eyes as she reloaded the crossbow.

She aimed it at the standing Lord. If Tywin was surprised, he didn't show it.

"What did you summon me for?" Kenna asked behind the crossbow.

Tywin walked slowly towards Kenna, undaunted that she was aiming a crossbow at him. This wasn't the first time Kenna had threatened him with a weapon and Tywin anticipated the same outcome.

The point of the bolt followed his movement until it was less than a hands width from his midriff.

"To discuss your future," Tywin said as he stood before the seated Lady.

"My future as Lady of the Eyrie or as the mother of your legacy?"

"Both."

"Go on," Kenna said still holding the crossbow.

"Let's discuss this in my study," Tywin suggested.

"No, lets discuss it now."

Tywin looked down at Kenna and narrowed his eyes. "You will remain the Warden of the East until Robin is capable enough to rule the Vale himself and you will remain the Lady of the Eyrie until he takes a wife."

_I will be the Warden of the East till I die then,_ Kenna thought humorously.

"I suppose you will have an opinion on who Robin should marry," Kenna guessed.

"I will but that is a matter for the future."

"I thought we were discussing the future," Kenna shot back.

Tywin's hand closed around the crossbow as Kenna's finger tensed around the trigger.

She let the crossbow slip from her grasp and watched as Tywin placed it on the table and slide it to the other end.

"I still have my knives," Kenna said as she flexed her fingers out on the arms of the chair.

Tywin leaned down into her space, "We both know if you wanted me dead you would have let the assassins do their job."

"It is true I don't want you dead," Kenna confessed. "If you die, Cersei would kill me before I could make it past the gates of King's Landing."

Tywin straightened up and swiftly turned from Kenna. He walked back into his study. Kenna followed him, understanding that she wanted to hear what the Old Lion had to say and she had made her point clear with her crossbow antics.

She wouldn't be ignored.

Kenna stepped back into Tywin's study and found the Lord not at his desk but standing before a crackling fire. He had his hands behind his back and one grasped a rolled-up letter.

Kenna joined Tywin at the fire. "Why am I here?"

Tywin held out the letter for Kenna. She took the letter and read it. After a few seconds she scrunched it up and threw it into the fire.

Her mind was racing, going over the words that Tywin had written down making sure she had understood them correctly.

"Why?" Kenna asked but she knew why.

"Because promises are promises," Tywin stated simply as he continued to look into the fire as the letter melted away.

Kenna had no reply.

She hadn't anticipated this request so she backed away from the fire and made for the door. She was surprised when Tywin didn't stop her but if he wanted to find her, he had enough men to ensure she would be located.

* * *


	36. Promises

* * *

_That evening, two weeks on from the Purple Wedding …._

**Tunnel below the Tower of the Hand, Red Keep, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Kenna walked down the well-lit tunnel as her thoughts chased after her. Kenna tried to forget how the fire crackled as it had consumed the paper but the words of the letter remained in her mind.

_It is time you gave me what you promised. Tonight. Where you nearly met the Stranger._

The words themselves were not making Kenna clench and unclench her hands. It was the implication behind them. Her promise to provide House Lannister with heirs she had known would need to be fulfilled but Jamie was in the Westerlands and that had allowed a sense of distance between her and the fulfilment of her promise to Tywin. But that letter had made it clear, he expected her to start working on her promise tonight.

Kenna reached the first door.

It was unlocked so she pushed onwards dragging her thoughts with her. She had been prepared for this night when she had married Jamie but since he refused to consummate their marriage Kenna had fallen into a false hope that this moment would never happen even if deep down, she knew that it always would have been demanded and she would always have paid her price.

Kenna had taken the afternoon to calm herself. She had gotten what she had wanted and more. She wasn't a coward she would honour the bargain that had been struck.

Kenna approached the second door. She placed her hands on the wooden frame.

_Gods am I really going to do this?_ She questioned herself.

Kenna knew who was most likely on the other side of the door but she wasn't a wallflower. She wouldn't meekly concede herself. She was Kenna Lannister, Lady of Casterly Rock, Lady of the Eyrie, Warden of the East and the Bloody Falcon. She ran from no one.

_High as honour._

Her hand curled around the door handle and she marched forward.

_Hear me roar. _

* * *

A fire crackled fiercely in a large stone hearth opposite a large plush bed. In between the bed and the fire was spread a thick bear fur. The light of the fire bounced off the tall ornate mirror that resided in the corner of the room. The smell of sweet spices teased the air in the room.

Tywin sat in a large chair, examining the cyasse board in front of him. He wasn't one to be idle as he waited so had occupied his mind. The positions of the pieces showed that he had been playing against himself.

As soon as he heard the door click closed, he turned his head to see his expected guest staring back at him. He rose from his seat and walked to the corner of the room to grab a jug of wine and pour two cups.

Tywin did this without looking behind him to Kenna who had cautiously made her way to the centre of the room while unclasping her hidden blades from her wrists. She didn't want the temptation or the option of violence to be available to her. It was not what was needed in this situation.

The last time she had been in this room she had been bleeding to death and a group of whores had saved her life. The tension of that night still lingered in her mind. She had nearly died. She had revealed Jamie and Cersei's incestual relationship to their father and for some reason she had survived both the assassin's blade and Tywin's wrath.

Tywin approached Kenna and offered her one of the cups of wine he had in his hands. Kenna exchanged her blades for the cup and immediately took a small sip.

"You came," Tywin remarked in an indifferent tone as he studied the blades and placed them on the bedside table.

"Yes, your house isn't the only one that pays its debts and you aren't the only person that keeps their promises my Lord," Kenna replied keeping her voice even and sipping her wine further to alleviate the vulnerability she felt at the loss of her blades.

"Mmm," Tywin agreed bringing his cup to his lips. "Now that you are the Warden of the East it is time you recalled your three thousand men who are currently lost on the Narrow Sea with Stannis Baratheon."

Kenna smiled into her cup she enjoyed these types of conversations, "Do you really think Lord Grafton will believe anything I write to him while I still remain in King's Landing?"

"Do you think I will let you return to the Eyrie? You would just rebel again or join Robb Stark's doomed Northern Alliance," Tywin correctly deduced.

"You made me Lady of the Eyrie and Warden of the East. How do you expect me to carry out my duties if you keep me in King's Landing. The Vale won't suffer an absentee ruler," Kenna said in a passionate voice.

"Your brother will return to the Vale soon enough and I expect you to fulfil your duties as Lady of Casterly Rock. That is where your future lies not in the Vale."

"You are wrong," Kenna said firmly.

Kenna went to take another sip of her wine but before the cup reached her lips Tywin had stuck out a hand and grabbed her throat. His grip wasn't hard enough that it restricted her airways but his fingers would leave a mark. Kenna barely flinched when Tywin's hand closed around her neck and she resisted the urge to struggle against the Lion's grip. She had anticipated this reaction to her words.

She looked into Tywin's eyes they were searching her face for something.

Kenna after a few seconds brought the wine cup to her lips and finished it as Tywin continued his probing of her face.

With his hand still firmly around Kenna's throat Tywin felt every gulp of wine that passed through her throat and every breath that followed.

Kenna let her hand that held the cup fall from her mouth to her side and this movement seemed to snap Tywin out of his thought process and he released Kenna. He took Kenna's cup from her and walked towards the table where the wine jug was and set aside the cups.

He turned to Kenna while leaning on the table.

Lord Tywin frowned, "You aren't afraid."

Before answering Kenna took a few steps towards the fire.

"Of you? No but I use to be," Kenna confessed to the flames. "When I took your childhood home, I lost that terror your name used to instil in me. It is hard to fear a monster when you have seen where they grew up."

_Monster am I._

Tywin pushed off the table and stood beside Kenna by the fire. She kept her gaze on the flames while Tywin looked Kenna up and down.

She wore a dress of dark blue and the light from the fire revealed white detailing all over the dress that if looked closely at were actually little falcons. She wore no jewellery. Her thick brown hair un-plaited fell in waves over her shoulders, framing her face and bringing out the striking light blue in her eyes.

"That isn't what I meant," Tywin said turning Kenna's shoulder with his hand and staring down into those defiant blue eyes. "I meant you aren't afraid of having sex."

"Did you expect a blushing maid? Because I hope you know me better than that by now," Kenna practically snarled back up at him.

"I expect a maid," Tywin deadpanned releasing Kenna's shoulder.

"I am a virgin my Lord," Kenna glowered at Tywin, "or we wouldn't have found ourselves in this particular situation," Kenna said while gesturing to their tastefully furnished surroundings.

Tywin's face darkened as he let his eyes travel down Kenna's form. "I don't doubt you are a virgin, just your ability to submit."

"My Lord, I may not have had sex but I have been told it can be pleasurable for both parties if done right," Kenna said gently as the reality of what they were talking about seeped into her mind, "I don't think one needs to submit to the other."

Tywin raised his eyebrow, "and who have you been speaking to about pleasure."

"Ladies of the court talk my Lord and I have spent a great deal in the courts at King's Landing and the Eyrie."

"Well they are wrong," Tywin said as the fire's light bounced around them. "Sex isn't about pleasure it is about power, and power is about making someone submit before you do."

"I think you have been sleeping with whores for too long." The words were out her mouth before her brain had had time to pass its judgement on them.

* * *

The word whore vibrated around Tywin's head. He lost control.

Tywin dragged Kenna to the body length mirror on the other side of the room and spun her so they both faced it. His arms clamped her to him. This was the closest they had been since Kenna threatened his life with her hidden blades. How she wished she still had them on her person.

Catching Kenna's eyes in the mirror he growled, "Do you look like a whore?"

Kenna shook her head while trying to control her breathing. She didn't try to break Tywin's hold on her, there would be no point and would just reveal how uncomfortable she was. Instead she recalled Lysa's last breath and Littlefinger's pleading. The memory stilled her heartbeat and reminded her why she was in this room. With this man. Paying this price.

"But you aren't quite a Lady, are you?" Tywin sneered. "You kill, you lead armies, and you make promises no Lady should."

Tywin looked at Kenna's reflection. Despite being captured in his arms the defiant and stubborn twinkle in her eyes remained and Tywin's sudden burst of rage had not sparked any fear in her. She remained calm in his arms, waiting for his next move.

She was by no means the prettiest Lady at court, nor would she rival a whore's skills in bed but she was a leader, a legacy builder. And most important to Tywin, she was a woman who valued her family so much she went to war to avenge their deaths and even when she lost that war she kept going. Tywin suspected she would have kept going until her final breath if she hadn't achieved her goal and executed Littlefinger and Lysa on the steps of the Great Sept of Baelor.

As a person who was capable of causing great destruction in the name of his family Tywin appreciated and understood that trait in others. It meant she would protect her children tooth and nail. That she would protect _his_ children and heirs.

The thought of the proud woman in front of him bearing him an heir sent a wave of warmth from his stomach to his cock and it responded. He moved his head to Kenna's ear; he could hear her breathing had quickened.

_Perhaps her silence isn't a sign of how in control she is but how near to out of control she is,_ Tywin mused.

She was after all still a maid, still a virgin and had no experience in the bedroom. This was his domain, in terms of the setting and knowledge of what was to come.

* * *

Kenna fought the urge to break eye contact with Tywin in the mirror, she didn't want to show any weakness. The way Tywin's body pressed around her was reminding her of the time they had rode into King's Landing together. The same tingling feeling she experienced then was returning to her now and it was a pleasant sensation. It started in her midriff but spread to the outer edges of her body. She only realised her breathing had sped up when she heard Tywin's breath beside her ear.

_Keep control,_ she warned herself. _Or take control._

"Are you enjoying yourself," Kenna asked Tywin breaking the silence. She already knew the answer as she could feel Tywin's erection hard against her back.

Tywin growled in response as his hands started to relieve Kenna of her clothing, tugging at her dress until only the Lion pendant remained. Kenna let her clothes pile at her feet as her hands stayed by her side.

Kenna looked at Tywin through the mirror.

He seemed to be savouring the sight of her naked body. Taking in her lean form until his eyes halted on her left shoulder, where a scar had newly formed. A scar she had got from saving _his_ life.

Tywin seemed to remember the event as well if the flashing in his eyes was any indication of where his mind was. He dipped his head over Kenna's shoulder and pressed his lips on Kenna's scar. He let his lips linger and slowly moved them over her scar as if appreciating the actions that led her to have it.

His hands slid down Kenna's arms to her wrists, checking that she truly had relinquished her blades to him earlier and he wasn't about to have one near his throat again.

Kenna smirked at Tywin's actions and in a confident movement she turned around to face Tywin. "I promise I have no knives left and there isn't a crossbow within reach."

Tywin didn't reply, clearly thinking the time for words had passed. He backed her towards the bed. Kenna complied knowing that there was no turning back but kept her aura of confidence intact as the back of her legs brushed with the bed.

Tywin gave Kenna a hungry look as he lightly pushed Kenna so she fell back onto the bed. Tywin drank in the naked sight of her but it was her eyes that drew Tywin in the most. They were defiant, they were still in control.

Tywin had to change that.

He removed his clothing never taking his eye off Kenna who watched as each piece of his outfit fell to the floor before her until he was as naked as she was.

He advanced on the bed and lightly pinned Kenna on her back as his mouth once again found her scar. A moment later Kenna felt his hand slide from her thigh to rest above her core, in their next breath Tywin's hand slipped into her and his fingers started to circle and apply pressure.

Kenna gasped at the new sensation but quickly controlled herself. She had never felt the need to experiment herself but she was rethinking that decision with each second that passed as she felt an uncomfortable heat start to radiate all over her body as Tywin continued his advances.

When a moan escaped her, Tywin couldn't help but feel some masculine pride in being able to invoke such a response from someone he knew was trying their hardest to remain silent.

Tywin's fingers continued to tease at her entrance as he switched his attention from her shoulder to nip at her throat, but he let out a groan of his own against her neck as he felt her hands fondle him.

_Quite brave for a virgin,_ Tywin surmised as he grabbed Kenna's hands with his own and noted her breathing was as uneven as his own and her eyes now held a glimmer of desire rather than defiance.

Tywin pulled her to him and felt her bare skin on his. Tywin swiftly pressed his length up against her, as his body practically screamed to take her.

The friction between them was threatening to overwhelm them both and it hadn't simply been building since the moment Kenna stepped into the room but from the moment Kenna challenged him in the shadow of Harrenhal; from the moment that she had taken Casterly Rock from him; from the moment that he had taken the Eyrie from her; from the moment that she had agreed to give House Lannister heirs; and from the moment she had saved his life and held a blade to his throat ready to end the very life she had saved.

Tywin's hand reached for her core. There was no hiding the fact that she was wet and that he was hard. They were ready for each other.

Tywin pushed inside her in one swift motion, filling her completely, a gasp of pain escaped her mouth as he tore through her maidenhead.

Tywin didn't still himself, as she had noted earlier, she wasn't a blushing maid so there was no need to treat her as one. He moved out and then slid back in, pushing another soft gasp from Kenna's throat.

All Kenna could do to ride the waves of pain was to hold onto Tywin's arms as she adjusted to the new sensations and friction she was feeling.

Tywin settled into a rhythm, rocking in and out of her and for the first time, in a long time, Tywin's mind went blissfully blank as he focused on the hot grip of her body as he thrust into her.

Kenna still felt pain with each thrust but it was beginning to be overridden with pleasure as a warm sensation started to build inside her making her hips move with Tywin's.

Tywin half smiled at Kenna's movements but began to thrust harder to maintain his dominance. He moved his hand from above her head to her throat, lightly pinning her down while his other hand rested at her hip. He focused on the friction between them as he looked into Kenna's eyes. There was a storm behind her eyes but she wasn't fighting him, she was fighting herself until the pleasure won.

She groaned into the bedding as he continued to slam himself into her with a grunt, his fingers digging into her hips. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he enjoyed the moans and whimpers that he was eliciting from Kenna as he knew she didn't know enough to fake her sounds of pleasure. Her panting gasps and occasional cries were all the encouragement he needed and he knew he was close to making Kenna lose control.

"Bastard," Kenna cried as she went over the edge, her body shuddering as her core tightened around Tywin's cock but Tywin pushed through her end to find his own, releasing inside of her with a loud groan as he thrust into her one final time.

Tywin held himself in place above Kenna as he regained his breath and rolled to her side as his thundering heartbeat slowed.

* * *

Kenna fought through her haze to see that Tywin was already dressing himself. He occasionally sent a glance at her as she remained motionless on the bed. Once fully redressed he approached the bed and brought himself to his full height as he looked down at Kenna who was tangled in the bedsheets.

"Was that pleasurable enough for you my Lady?" Tywin asked with a gleam in his eye, alluding to Kenna's previous words.

"Yes and no one had to submit to the other," Kenna said still basking in the fading warmth of her orgasm.

Tywin leaned down, "I didn't say you would submit right away."

"I thought you said sex was about power and power was making someone submit before you did," Kenna perfectly recalled.

Tywin narrowed his eyes before he conceded the point, "Maybe that is true with whores but not with Ladies. I will see you here again tomorrow night."

"You will?" Kenna sarcastically replied.

Tywin stood over her relishing the sight of her. "I will," he demanded then added for clarity, "you will see me every night until you are with child."

With those words Tywin exited the room leaving Kenna alone sprawled on the bed. Kenna let the exhaustion overcome her and she felt her body sink into the bed. She sent a glance towards the cyvasee table and gathered the sheets to cover herself as she made her way gingerly over to the board. To keep her mind from the painful ache she was feeling between her legs she reset the board and moved one black piece forward.

The game she was playing with the Lion Lord had changed in nature but it was still the same game with the same objectives and she intended to win this time.

* * *

_The Next day …._

_ **The Gift, One days ride south from the Wall and two weeks ride from Winterfell, Seat of power of House Stark in the North, Capital of the Kingdom of the North** _

* * *

"Your Grace," a young northern solider said as he trotted up beside the King in the North's party dodging the marching soldiers.

"Yes," Robb replied has he and his surrounding guards slowed their horses to a walk.

"A message from Winterfell," the solider shouted above the din of the marching army.

Robb held out his hand and the message was dutifully placed in his outstretched fingers. Robb tore off the wolf seal then read the curled-up words.

It was Arya's handwriting but Maester Luwin's words. He chuckled, imagining the old Maester hovering over Arya and dictating to her as she wrote the letter.

His attention was drawn to a certain set of words.

_Lord and Lady Baelish were executed in King's Landing by Lady Kenna Lannister's own hand for the murders of Jon Arryn, Alyssa Arryn and Joffrey Baratheon. _

Robb wondered why Kenna herself had committed the finishing act. His father had always taught him he who passes the sentence must carry it out but Robb knew that concept hadn't made its way south of the Neck.

Robb reread the letter before folding it and putting it into his tunic pocket.

"Is it good news? Has Reece Bolton explained where he and his bannermen are because the Umbers will gladly march in front of them when they do join us" Lord Umber said gleefully.

Robb hesitated before replying, deciding himself if the words were indeed good or bad for the North, "The letter is from my sister not Lord Bolton. But yes, it looks like good news Lady Kenna avenged her father and sister's murder."

"Cersei Lannister is dead?" the large Lord said in surprise.

"No, it appears that Lord Baelish and my aunt were responsible for Jon Arryn's death. Not Cersei Lannister," Robb said in firm tone as if reconfirming the concept in his mind.

Lord Umber didn't reply but the surprise that had clouded his voice now resided on his face.

Robb felt the same way but didn't have the luxury of be able to show it to his men. A King must always appear in control.

After a few beats Lord Umber asked the question that was on Robb's mind as well.

"Who rules in the Vale now?"

"Arya writes that Lady Kenna was declared the Lady of the Eyrie and Warden of the East until Lord Robin comes of age," Robb replied.

"So, the Lannister's rule the Vale behind Lady Kenna's name?" Lord Umber remarked to Robb, aware that his King had forged a close bond with the captured Lady.

Robb silently nodded in agreement.

He still felt uneasy at having left Kenna at the Eyrie. Maybe if he had stayed, if he had fought alongside her, Kenna wouldn't have been betrayed at the Eyrie or be a practical prisoner in King's Landing under the Lannister's thumb. Robb wished a lot had played out differently and he wasn't sure he would get the chance to rectify his actions towards Lady Kenna.

Robb shook his head.

Kenna had near begged him to return North and retake Winterfell. He couldn't have defied her wishes, not when the moment had felt so final. But she was still alive and for as long as he was still alive Robb promised to himself, he would do everything he could to get Kenna and Sansa out of King's Landing.

A few shouts from ahead of him, broke Robb from his thoughts.

"Wildlings up ahead," his men yelled.

Robb smiled.

These might be the Wildings that had burnt Mole's Town to the ground or killed Rickon but it didn't matter which group his army had come across. Their fate would be the same.

_For Rickon_, Robb thought before commanding, "Run them down, no survivors."

* * *

_Same day …._

**Gardens, Red Keep, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Kenna sat in a chair facing Blackwater Bay imagining many magnificent ships floating on the waves instead of the nothingness that seemed to have settled into the Bay. She could feel that same emptiness in her right now. She was getting tired of waiting. King's Landing wasn't where she belonged.

Suddenly there was a lot of shouting behind her and she turned to see a giant crazed looking man wearing a tunic pushing past the Lannister guards that were stationed in the garden. It seemed like he was looking for someone and when he locked eyes with Kenna, he charged towards her.

Some Lannister men saw his charge and tried to intervene but were easily pushed away by the larger man and he continued on his path towards Kenna.

She was rooted in her seat as the man came closer to her. He seemed familiar and it was only when the man gave out a cry of pain as half a dozen Lannister soldiers jumped on him that she realised why.

_Lord Royce. Yohn!_

"Get off him," Kenna barked at the guards who were holding Lord Royce down.

They reluctantly let go of the old Lord and Lord Royce took the few remaining steps towards Kenna and bundled her into a hug.

"I saw you die," he rasped.

"What? Yohn sit down," Kenna ordered while guiding the troubled Lord onto one of the garden chairs.

"There was fire everywhere, a building collapsed in a wave of heat and …. You got buried beneath it. I couldn't reach you in time and you didn't hear my shouts."

Kenna knelt before the still pale Lord, firmly holding one of his hands and looking into his still tense face. "Well as you can see, I am still alive and it was all a dream."

"He said it was a vision," Lord Royce murmured.

"You aren't making any sense. Who said it was a vision?" Kenna questioned lightly not wanting to push too hard and wondering where Qyburn was.

"There was a boy with me, he said his name was Bran Stark but he could walk."

"Bran Stark is a cripple," Kenna softly pointed out.

"I know, yet he was there walking in my … dreams," Lord Royce said in a tired tone.

"That is all it was Yohn. A dream," Kenna said reassuringly before continuing, "Do you think I would let my death be so uninspiring. I am probably destined to be beheaded or hanged at the rate I am going. Not crushed to death under rubble," Kenna tried to tease but Lord Royce kept the pensive look on his face.

"I saw you die in another way," he said quietly.

"Oh," Kenna replied, growing more worried as this conversation dragged on.

"I killed you … You were advancing on me with your knives … You wouldn't listen to me. Your eyes glowed bright blue and … and you lunged at me. I struck you down with my blade …. I-"

"Yohn," Kenna said gently as she placed a hand on Lord Royce's cheek. "They are just dreams. I won't die. You won't kill me."

"I had another vision. You killed me this time."

Kenna sent Lord Royce a bewildered look.

"We were in the Throne room. I was tied up. You had your hand on my cheek while your other hand sliced a blade through my throat. As I lay there dying you walked up the steps and sat on the Iron Throne. Then I woke up and … here I am."

Kenna removed her hand from Lord Royce's cheek, "None of those things are going to happen Yohn. Especially the last one."

"They all felt so real."

"But they weren't and now you are back among the land of the living. There are a few things you need to know, if you still support me that is."

"Of course, I will support you till the day I die," Lord Royce declared. _Even if you are the one to kill me,_ he silently added as he relaxed into the chair.

Kenna catching sight of an out of breath Qyburn approaching them decided to inform Lord Royce of Lysa and Littlefinger's downfall at a later date.

"I think Qyburn should look at you and make sure you have fully recovered from those blows to your head," Kenna said as she gestured for Qyburn to come forward and tend to Lord Royce.

Kenna kept her gaze on Lord Royce as Qyburn started to ask Lord Royce questions on what he could remember.

Kenna had managed to strangle the outpouring of emotion she had felt on seeing Lord Royce alive as the gardens was no place to express your real feelings but now as she looked at an exhausted Lord Royce, she couldn't help but wonder about his dreams.


	37. A Brother's Bond

* * *

_A few days later …._

**Courtyard of Castle Black, just beneath the Wall, Two weeks ride from Winterfell, Seat of power of House Stark in the North, Capital of the Kingdom of the North**

* * *

The leading Northern contingent of soldiers passed through the open wooden doors of Castle Black and the party stopped in the middle.

Robb surveyed the open ground around him with Lord Umber by his side. Brothers of the Night's Watch were standing looking up at him and his men. They had clearly just been practicing their swordsmanship. Robb spotted a particularly humourless looking grey-haired man before finding the person he was truly seeking.

His brother.

Jon Snow stood on the wooden battlements, staring down at the Northmen that were streaming into Castle Black with astonishment on his face and a hint of relief.

Robb dismounted and with haste walked up the battlements and gave his brother a massive bear hug.

"I have missed you. It has been too long." Robb said still holding their embrace.

"War tends to keep you busy. Your Grace would- " Jon tried.

"Jon, we are brothers," Robb said once he had taken a step back. "You don't have to address me like that."

Jon nodded with fondness and became aware that all eyes in Castle Black were currently watching their interactions.

"Maybe we should talk where we won't be overheard," Jon suggested.

"Lead the way brother. I am but a guest of the Lord Commander. Speaking of which who is your new Lord Commander in the wake of Jeor Mormont's death?"

"That would be me," a voice devoid of any emotion said behind Robb.

The King in the North turned to see the humourless man he had seen earlier looking back at him. He noticed how Jon tensed beside him in the presence of this grizzled man.

"And who are you?" Robb questioned aggressively.

"I am Ser Alliser Thorne, master-at-arms of Castle Black and acting Lord Commander until the new Lord Commander has been selected," he said in a sharp and cold tone.

Robb took a few more seconds to size up the man who stood in front of him. "We have much to discuss then if the letter I received was truthful."

"The letter held no lies, your Grace. The dead walk beyond the Wall, the Wildlings seek to tear the Wall down and we do not have the numbers to defend it," Ser Alliser said bitterly.

"It is a good omen that I am here isn't it then," Robb replied trying to hide his distaste for the acting Lord Commander.

"This way your Grace, Lord Commander," Jon intervened as he began to lead the way to the common hall of Castle Black.

* * *

Jon listened and watched as his brother and Ser Alliser Thorne continued their battle of words from earlier.

"How many men did you bring with you?" Ser Alliser interrogated.

"Three-thousand."

"Only three-thousand," exclaimed Ser Alliser. "The Wildlings have an army nearing one-hundred-thousand."

"Maybe the news didn't reach the Wall but I have been fighting a war and I don't see any other army here."

"Is that what you call what you were doing," Ser Alliser baited.

Jon saw Robb's hands curl into fists. He stood ready to stop his brother from inflicting too much damage on Ser Alliser but the sound of wood on stone made the two heated men look towards the open doorway of the hall.

There stood Maester Aemon leaning on a wooden stick and Sam Tarly who held a slightly worried expression on his face.

The scholarly men made their way to the high table were Robb and Ser Alliser stood facing each other and sat down. Jon copied their movements and the quarrelling men also sat down.

Maester Aemon cleared his throat, "It is a great honour to welcome you to Castle Black your Grace. And I thank you for responding to my letter."

"You mentioned that without our help that the Wall would fall. That a horde of Wildlings would flood through into Westeros. They would hit the North first so of course I take an interest," Robb expounded in an annoyed voice while still looking at Ser Alliser.

"Really? Because it seems the North hasn't taken an interest in what happens beyond the Wall for a while and I thought you had a war you were fighting," Ser Alliser aimed back at Robb.

Robb held his cool, "I am here now Ser Alliser and I suggest we focus on the future not on the past which you seem unable to let go off. I know which side you fought on in Robert's Rebellion so I won't be taking your advice on how to win wars. I suggest we turn our combined attention to how to defend the Wall."

"Here, here," Maester Aemon said as he tapped the wooden table with his hand a few times before Ser Alliser could reply to the King in the North.

Jon felt less anxious as the conversation turned to the defence of the Wall. Both Ser Alliser and Robb agreed on the strategy that should be employed. They would place the majority of the men on top of the Wall and rain fire down on the Wildings trying to breach the Wall.

If the Wildlings tried to scale the Wall that would take hours and the Night's Watch had counter measures in place to deal with that threat and with the added numbers that the Northern army gave them, they would have enough archers to decimate the unarmoured advancing wildling army below them.

They had considered everything. Except one thing.

"What about an attack from the south," Jon spoke up.

Robb gestured for him to continue.

"The Wildling party I scaled the Wall with, they numbered roughly five hundred. They are still in the Gift," Jon said ignoring the dirty look Ser Allison was throwing his way.

"I encountered some Wildlings on my way here but they were only a few dozen," Robb shared.

"So, there is still a considerable rabble of Wildlings south of the wall," Ser Alliser clarified. "Lord Snow you will remain in Castle Black and organise the defences against any attack."

Jon was too shocked that Ser Alliser had given him that responsibility that he hesitated to respond.

"I will give you some of my men under Lord Umber as well," Robb said as he looked down to his hands. "Those Wildlings south of the Wall are responsible for Rickon's death so make sure they pay for it."

"Rickon is dead," Jon said slowly.

"Yes, he was found butchered in the Gift," Robb replied. "The men who found his body said they saw Wildlings in the vicinity."

Jon pushed past his grief to ask, "Was he killed by arrows?"

"No," Robb answered confused why his brother would ask how Rickon was killed.

"Excuse me you Grace," Ser Alliser said bluntly, clearly having no interest in the family struggles of the Starks, before leaving to prepare Night's Watch for the imminent assault on the Wall.

Maester Aemon with Sam's help also left the hall sighting the need for rest.

Jon relaxed a bit into his chair as he let his stoic and brooding demeanour faulter in the presence of his brother.

"How is Arya?" he asked.

"She is loving being Lady of Winterfell," Robb replied sarcastically with a grin.

Jon laughed in response.

There was nothing lady like in his youngest sister and he imagined Arya was in a sort of living torment having to tend to the matters of running Winterfell in Robb's absence.

* * *

_Nighttime a week later …._

**Top of the Wall, Two weeks ride from Winterfell, Seat of power of House Stark in the North, Capital of the Kingdom of the North**

* * *

Robb, Ser Alliser and Janos Slynt stood atop the Wall looking down at the great fire raging before them and the Wildling army emerging from the Haunted Forest. The sheer amount of people walking towards the Wall was a sight Robb would never forget.

_We have to kill all of them_, Robb reminded himself.

This was going to be a long night but this is what King's did. They protected their people. They kept fighting no matter how tired they were, no matter how daunting the task was ahead.

Robb heard an almighty roar and strained his eyes to find its source. _Fuck._ The source was a giant riding an equally large mammoth.

"Archers nock and draw, everyone else hold," Ser Alliser shouted.

Northmen and men of the Night's Watch complied with his order. Before another command could be issued a horn blew taking everyone's attention away from the enormous army below them.

"Castle Black is under attack," Ser Alliser explained. "Your bastard brother was right."

"You understand the Wall's defences better than I. You have command of my men up here. I am going down there," Robb said while pointing to Castle Black wanting to help his brother.

In the next second Janos Slynt who had been standing a few feet from Ser Alliser and Robb flew upwards into the air. As his screams faded, Robb looked down the Wall. He saw a giant with a bow and quickly backed away from the edge and nodded at Ser Alliser before running to the lift.

Ser Alliser called, "Nock, draw loose," as if his second in commands death hadn't just happened.

* * *

_Same time …._

**Castle Black, just beneath the Wall, Two weeks ride from Winterfell, Seat of power of House Stark in the North, Capital of the Kingdom of the North**

* * *

Sam held Pyp as blood flowed from his puncture wound. He knew Pyp wouldn't survive an arrow through the throat so tried to reassure him in his dying moments.

Sam heard Jon's call to retreat and with a sad glance back at his fallen brother he dashed back towards the inner buildings of Castle Black. He rushed back to see that some Wildlings had already gotten beyond the outer walls and were fighting with the Northmen and Night's Watch men.

A nasty looking Thenn started to run towards him. Sam fumbled with the crossbow that was in his hands. The weapon felt foreign to him. He was much more use too and comfortable with a quill or a book. Lucky for him he didn't have to use the crossbow as Ghost jumped on the advancing Thenn and tore out his throat.

"Good … boy," Sam said in a state of shock.

"Go to the kitchens Sam," Jon said suddenly as he ran to and grabbed his panicking friend. "You can't help here and there is no point you dying trying to be brave."

Sam nodded once before ducking and making his way towards the main buildings.

Jon immediately turned around to see Lord Umber engaged in an even melee contest with a fierce looking ginger Wildling. Both looked like they were thoroughly enjoying themselves.

* * *

Robb descended down the wall in the lift observing the battle below. The Wildlings had managed to scale what little defences Castle Black had on its southern boundary and were fighting Brothers of the Night's Watch and Northmen in the training area.

Robb spotted Jon who was engaged fighting a bald Wildling and his brother didn't look comfortable.

"Can this damn contraption go any faster," Robb vented as he was powerless to help Jon in that moment.

A few seconds later the lift reached the floor. Robb and his men immediately charged out of the lift only to be greeted with a barrage of arrows. Robb took cover behind some barrels but peeked a glance to see a female wildling handling a bow up on the wooden battlements that the Wildlings had first climbed over to reach Castle Black.

Robb looked back to assess the men he had been on the lift with to see that the young boy who had been operating the lift had been impaled against the leaver with an arrow.

Robb spotted about half a dozen Night's Watchmen crouched amongst his own.

"What are you doing?" he asked the black clad men.

A gruff man replied, "Ser Alliser wants the gates to be held. The Wildling's giants are trying to force the outer gate open as we speak and he doesn't think it will hold."

Robb shook his head, "Six men against two giants. What is your name?"

"Grenn."

"Take a few dozen of my men then Grenn and hold the gate."

"Yes, your Grace," Grenn replied and headed off with half of Robb's men.

* * *

Robb returned his attention to the battlefield. Ghost and Grey Wind were tearing into any Wildling that got to close to them. Jon was still fending off the large bald Wildling. Robb started to run towards his brother when he heard a cry that ripped through his body.

He turned to see Lord Umber up on the wooden bridge with a broad sword buried through his midriff. The brutish ginger Wildling that held the broad sword kicked the Northern Lord down from the bridge and the huge Lord landed with a thud on the muddy ground near to where Janos Slynt's impaled body rested.

Robb rushed toward the fallen Lord.

"Lord Umber-"Robb started as he crouched beside him.

"Never mind me lad, I am gone all ready," the mortally wounded Lord gasped out. "Just get that _fucking ginger bastard_ for me. Kill the fucker who killed me is all I ask."

Robb gripped Lord Umber's hand and felt the ghost of his missing fingers before looking back at the wooden bridge to locate the Wildling that had killed the GreatJon Umber.

Robb locked eyes with his target and they rushed towards each other as Northmen and Wildlings clashed around them.

"What is your name?" Robb demanded as he readied himself with his sword out in front of him.

"Tormund Giantsbane," the huge Wildling bellowed as he charged the King in the North.

Robb dodged the crude swing of the broad sword and countered with his own strike but the Wildling was deceptively quick for his size and jumped back out of the path of Robb's strike.

"Tell me was it you that butchered my little brother or was it another of your party?" Robb snarled while holding his defensive stance and circling the Wildling.

"What are you talking about," Tormund roared as he swung his broad sword in a low arc.

Robb easily parried the blow, "I am talking about how your party came across a defenceless little boy out in the open and stabbed him to death with no mercy."

"We didn't come across a little boy," Tormund said watching Robb carefully for his next strike, "and if we had the Thenns wouldn't have let the body go to waste."

"You lie," Robb growled as he rushed Tormund but the fierce Wildling had anticipated the action and backed away swiftly out of Robb's range.

Suddenly a Northern solider tried to intervene in their contest but Tormund easily dispatched the solider with a few swipes of his blade.

Tormund quickly turned back to face Robb, noting how the boy hadn't taken advantage of the soldier's interruption despite his obvious rage.

_He wouldn't have lasted beyond the Wall,_ Tormund thought. There was no place for honour in those frozen lands.

They once again reengaged, with Tormund as the aggressor throwing wild swings at Robb with the younger and more nimble man parrying and dodging waiting for his opening.

He found that opening as Tormund aimed a powerful strike at Robb but missed completely and Robb was able to get in close and slash at the Wildling's slide. The wound was clearly a fight ender but the Wildling stayed on his feet.

Robb eyed the Wildling with respect, "You fought well and your name will go down in history as killing one of the greatest Northern Lords that there has ever been and almost killing a King."

"What?" Tormund said as he bent a knee due to pain.

"I am Robb Stark, King in the North."

Tormund started laughing, "Kings mean nothing to me, I have seen dead men walk, I have killed giants. You don't understand what is beyond the Wall."

"And you will never understand what is south of the Wall," Robb said as he cut off Tormund's head with a clean swing of his sword.

* * *

Jon buried the hammer into Styr's head and watched as the Thenn chieftain fell to the ground. He looked up to see Ygritte pointing her bow at him with an arrow drawn.

Jon smiled at her, expecting the arrow to his heart any second but she lowered her bow and dropped it to the ground and raised her hands. Northmen were approaching her position from both walkways of the bridge.

Jon scanned around him.

The majority of the Wildlings were dead. Only a dozen or so were still alive but they had surrendered with their weapons tossed on the floor.

Jon heard his brother command that the surrendered Wildlings be tied up and placed in Castle Black's cells.

Jon couldn't keep the relief off his face when he heard that.

Ygritte would live. The surviving Wildlings were rounded up and pushed towards the common hall.

Robb came up beside Jon and clapped a hand to his shoulder, "Glad you aren't dead."

"Me too," replied Jon as he looked up at the Wall. "But the fight isn't over yet. Mance's army is still assaulting the Wall."

There was a loud crash. Robb and Jon exchanged looks. They both turned their heads towards the sound.

The gates. The giants. Both brothers rallied their men and ran towards the gates.

They reached the tunnel. The outer gate was shut but the inner gate had been smashed to pieces. A dozen or so Northmen lay strewn along the tunnel with Brothers of the Night's Watch intermingled among them.

They all appeared dead.

But what held the attention of the gathered men was the dead giant that had fallen just a few feet from the tunnels exit.

Robb looked around the tunnel, "I thought there were two giants?"

Jon was about to reply when he heard a cough. He hastily looked for the source of the sound and when he did his heart nearly missed a beat.

"Grenn," Jon shouted as he found his friend sitting against the tunnels wall.

"Did you think a giant could kill me?" Grenn said in between breaths.

Jon smiled and helped his friend up.

Grenn let out a grunt of pain. "The bastard threw me against the wall; I think my leg is broken."

"Then let's get you to the Maester," Robb said as he supported Grenn from his other shoulder. "A man who killed a giant can surely survive a broken leg."

Grenn chuckled though his pain, "I can't wait to see what names Pyp comes up with when I tell him."

* * *

_Early next morning …_

**Common Hall, Castle Black, Beneath the Wall**

* * *

Ser Alliser met with Jon and Robb in the common hall.

"I hear you took prisoners," he said sharply to the two young men. "Two females and a dozen men."

"Yes, and I hear you held the Wall," Robb responded.

"Mance Rayder is still out there with Gods know how many Wildlings and they aren't going to slink off back into the night. They are here to either breach the wall or die," Ser Alliser lectured.

"Correct you are Lord Commander," Maester Aemon's voice floated down the hall. "Your Grace, a letter came for you."

To save the old man walking to him Robb got up from the table he had been sat at and approached the old Maester and accepted the letter.

He unfurled the letter and read it while he made his way back to the table. Only Jon noticed how his face tightened the more he read. Robb folded the letter and addressed Ser Alliser.

"You held the Wall and fended of the biggest Wildling army ever seen. To Ser Alliser Thorne," Robb toasted.

Huge cheers rang out in the hall from both the remaining Night's Watch men and the Northern soldiers.

Robb sent Jon a clear look as the cheers filled the air. _Follow me._

And Jon did exactly that as Robb walked out of the hall and stood inside the lift. As the lift made its way up the Wall. Robb passed the letter to Jon.

Jon couldn't believe what he was reading and turned to Robb with concern in his eyes.

"Winterfell has fallen … to Ramsey Snow?" Jon said in disbelief.

"According to that letter yes and he killed his father so he now commands the Bolton forces. The Karstarks joined with his assault force and they took Winterfell."

"What about Arya?" Jon asked quickly.

Robb exploded. The emotion he had kept in while reading the letter in the hall came out now.

"I don't fucking know Jon. I have read the letter same as you."

"We have to go back to Winterfell," Jon ignored Robb's outburst. "We have to save Arya."

"We? You are a brother of the Night's Watch. I will have to go back to Winterfell. I will have to rescue Arya. I will have to save the North. It all falls to me," ranted Robb as he looked out into the night.

Jon placed a hand on his shoulder, "You don't have to do this alone. I have served the Night's Watch faithfully and once we have defeated Mance's army I will ride with you against our enemies."

Robb turned towards his brother. "I appreciate that Jon, I really do but we don't have the numbers to take back Winterfell. I have maybe three-thousand hundred men loyal to me here at the Wall. The Bolton and Karstark forces will have perhaps double that behind Winterfell's walls."

The lift reached the top of the Wall and both dejected men walked out into the cold wind to gaze at the darkness below them.

Robb let out a desperate laugh, "Enemies in front of me and enemies behind me. The Old Gods are not making this easy for me."

When Jon remained silent, Robb turned to him. "I know you have never been the most forthcoming of my siblings but this is the point in the conversation where you give me encouragement."

Jon slowly looked from the blank darkness below to his brother's tired face.

"I think I can do better than that," Jon said as a smile started to form on his face.

"I was beginning you think you had forgotten how to smile," Robb teased, "But do go on, what do you mean?"

"You need an army to take back Winterfell, well I know where an army is and I know what they want," Jon said pointing down into the darkness.

"The Wildlings? Are you serious? We have just spent the last day killing them," Robb said in an incredulous voice.

"Yes, and they are losing, which means that they are desperate. If you let them pass through the Wall and promise that they can settle in the Gift they will fight for you."

"What guarantee would I have that as soon as they are through the Wall they won't just simply disband and run off?" Robb inquired.

"Because we will make it clear that the Bolton's and Karstarks, if allowed to rule in the North won't tolerate Wildlings living in the North," Jon explained willing Robb to see the worth in his plan.

Robb thought through his brother's words. He did need an army and it was within his power to give the Wildlings what they wanted.

"Fine but I can't imagine Ser Alliser will be happy about this. I presume you would want to negotiate with the King-beyond-the-Wall yourself?"

"I know him and I am the only person they won't kill on sight."

Robb finding that dubious said, "Take the prisoners with you just in case your charming smile isn't enough to stop them punching your teeth out."

"As my King commands me," Jon replied with a hint of humour.

Robb didn't reply but simply kept watching the darkness as the light started to sweep across the frozen land below.

* * *

_A few hours later…._

**Courtyard, Castle Black, Beneath the Wall**

* * *

"Enough Ser Alliser. You maybe the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch but you are not in command here. Without me and my men the Wall would have been overrun and the Night's Watch would be no more," Robb said firmly to the red-faced man in front of him as he walked along the wooden bridge.

"For generations we have defended the Wall from the Wildlings and now you want to let them walk through?" Ser Alliser said in an exacerbated voice as his hands gripped the wooden railing and he noted how many Northmen were staring up at him.

"Yes, Ser Alliser and you and your remaining men would be wise not to stop me," Robb said clearly as he saw the rage intensify in the older man's eyes.

"You are wrong Ser Alliser," Maester Aemon's voice cut through the tense air.

Both Robb and Ser Alliser turned to see that Maester Aemon had ventured out into the cold air.

"The Wall wasn't built to keep the Wildlings out. It was built to keep the White Walkers out," the old Maester stated.

Robb acknowledged Maester Aemon's words before looking down into the courtyard where the captured Wildlings waited.

"Jon will be ready to depart soon. I understand that some Brothers of the Nights Watch have volunteered to join him."

"Yes, and they are damn fools," Ser Alliser grumbled at Robb.

Jon entered the courtyard with two Brothers of the Night's Watch flanking him. One he recognised as Grenn who was limping slightly. _Clearly his leg wasn't broken, _Robb smirked to himself. Robb left Ser Alliser to stew and walked down the battlements to greet his brother.

"You better be sure about this," Robb said.

Before Jon could reply, the other Brother of the Nights Watch spoke up.

"Yeah, he better be or the Thenn's will have our guts for lunch."

"Edd, Mance is an honourable man," Jon remarked to the man beside him.

"So you keep saying," Edd shot back.

"Shall we go? I don't fancy making the trip back in darkness," Grenn said beside Jon before adding as an afterthought, "If we make the trip back that is."

Robb stretched out his hand, "Good luck brother."

Jon took his hand, "For Winterfell."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> R.I.P
> 
> Janos Slynt (killed by the giant Dongo with a massive arrow bolt)
> 
> A better death than he deserved in my opinion.
> 
> Pypar "Pyp" (Killed by one of Ygritte's arrows through the throat)
> 
> I really liked Pyp in the show so this was a bit sad for me but I can't have too many character's surviving, can I?
> 
> Thenn Warg (Ghost tore out his throat as he advanced on Sam)
> 
> Meh…..
> 
> Olly (Shot by Ygritte with an arrow when she was trying to kill Robb and the men in the lift)
> 
> I know he is a kid but …. I don't feel bad. He died … "For the Watch" …. Okay I feel a little bad but at least he didn't get stabbed to death multiple times by different people ….. :P
> 
> Lord 'GreatJon' Umber (Killed by Tormund in one-on-one combat with a broad sword through the stomach)
> 
> I think Lord Umber was happy with his own death. I mean he just wanted a good time :) But he did play a vital part in Robb's war efforts. Will the Umber's still support him now?
> 
> Tormund Giantsbane (Killed by Robb by way of decapitation in revenge for Lord Umber)
> 
> Robb wasn't going to let GreatJon Umber's death go unavenged. Hope their one-on-one combat scene was good as I think they would be quite evenly matched with Tormund's brute strength against Robb's silky sword skills. Maybe Tormund has a shot with Brienne in the afterlife? LOL
> 
> Styr of the Thenns (Killed by Jon with a solid hammer hit to the head)
> 
> This dude was always going to die and I liked his ending in canon so reused it to set up the Ygritte bit that came next.
> 
> Mag 'the Mighty' Mar Tun Doh Weg (Killed by Grenn and the other men in the tunnel with many many sword thrusts)
> 
> I wanted Grenn to live so we would have Grenn the 'Giantslayer' to play with. Sadly, this meant Mag 'the Mighty' had to still die in the tunnel but Dongo is still stomping around with Mance so the giants aren't finished yet.
> 
> Lord Roose Bolton (Death mentioned in the letter Ramsey sent to the Wall. Presumed killed by his own son in a yet unknown manner)
> 
> A little bit conflicted over this one. Unlike in canon he didn't betray Robb and grew to appreciate Robb's strategic talents. Unfortunately, for Ramsey to rise his father had to die :(


	38. Wrath of the Sun

* * *

_Next day …_

**Castle Black, just beneath the Wall, Two weeks ride from Winterfell, Seat of power of House Stark in the North, Capital of the Kingdom of the North**

* * *

Robb watched from the wooden bridge as the Wildling's cautiously wandered through the courtyard of Castle Black and past the gates into the Gift. The few remaining Brothers of the Night's Watch looked at the trudging Wildlings with absolute disgust on their faces. They had just burned the bodies of their friends mere hours ago and now they were letting their killers walk through the gates of the Wall and Castle Black. The very thing their friends had died to stop.

"Having second thoughts" a singsong voice said to Robb's left.

"That would be quite hard considering your rabble is already halfway through the Wall," Robb replied to Mance Rayder as the dark-haired man stood beside the King in the North.

"Very true," Mance agreed in a light tone, hardly able to believe that he had led his people peacefully through the Wall instead of battering it down.

Robb had let Jon negotiate on his behalf and he trusted his brother but it was time to build his own opinion on the King Beyond the Wall.

Robb turned to look Mance directly in the eye, "We will march for Last Hearth to regroup and plan our strategy to take Winterfell."

"You think a rabble of twenty-thousand is capable of taking Winterfell?" Mance questioned using Robb's own words against him.

"With training and a clear plan. Aye I do but I will need your … men to heed my commands."

Mance smirked, "Oh Good. Wildlings are known for their obedience and ability to carry out instructions."

"This is serious," Robb said angrily picking up on Mance's sarcastic tone. "What we do in the coming weeks and months will decide the future of the North. The future of my family."

"You are misguided. It isn't about your family; it isn't just about the North. If the White Walkers get past the Wall, we are all dead. You, your people, the Southerners, even those that live beyond the Narrow Sea. Everything will die. So, don't lecture me on what I should do boy," the King Beyond the Wall chided Robb.

Robb stayed quite in the wake of Mance's outburst, unsure on how to respond to such a dire assessment of not just the future of the North but the future of the world as they knew it.

Mance shook his head before returning his attention back to Robb, "My people know what lies beyond the Wall and it is no myth. We will fight for you Robb Stark because you gave us our lives. You let us pass through the Wall. But once we have fought your battles, once we have won you your crown back and we have our land we won't bow to you. We will not call you King."

"I don't need you to bow. I need you to fight," Robb said firmly.

Mance grinned at the young King beside him, "That we can do."

* * *

Jon stood in the courtyard surrounded by his friends.

"We'll miss you," Sam stated genuinely with a tear threatening his eye.

"Yeah, come visit us when you are a proper Lord and all," Edd said as he clapped Jon into a hug.

Jon turned to Grenn, "Take care of the new recruits. Make sure Ser Alliser doesn't drill them to death."

"Of course, how could he deny Grenn the Giantslayer anything," Grenn proudly stated.

They all rolled their eyes at Grenn. He hadn't shut up about kill the giant since the moment he had achieved the feat.

"This is goodbye for now then. My family need me," Jon started to justify before Edd held up a hand.

"We all understand and Sam here has filled us in on what has been happening down south. Besides we need you to spread the word about what lies beyond the Wall since no one will act on Maester Aemon's letters," Edd said in an understanding voice, giving Jon a way to keep his oath intact if he so chose to return to the Wall.

Jon smiled at them, appreciating their compassion, before turning and mounting his waiting horse. He rode through the gates of Castle Black to catch up with his brother and the Northern men leading the Wildlings south.

* * *

_A few days later in the middle of the night …_

**Winterfell, Seat of power of House Stark in the North, Capital of the Kingdom of the North**

* * *

Arya sneaked through the corridors making no sound. _Chasing those cats actually paid off,_ Arya mused to herself as she glided silently through the hallways of Winterfell, dodging any half-asleep Bolton solider with ease.

Since Winterfell had been captured by the Bolton bastard Arya had managed to avoid his men by hiding in the Crypt and stealing food when necessary from the kitchens. After the first few days the consensus among the Bolton men was that she had escaped Winterfell and they no longer actively looked for her.

She had been close to being taken prisoner when the Bolton's and Karstark forces had initially battered through the gates of Winterfell. Some Bolton men had managed to corner her in one of the library rooms of Winterfell. The only reason she had managed to slip past the dozen or so men was due to the Hound. He had burst through the door and started swing and cutting down the men allowing Arya to slip away and hide.

From her various excursion from the Crypts she had overheard a few conversations that indicated that the Hound had survived the initial capture of Winterfell and that Ramsey Snow had thrown him in the kennels with the hounds for his own amusement. Some of the soldiers had talked about betting on fights involving the Hound and Ramsey's hounds.

Remembering her last words with Syrio Forel, Arya promised herself that she wouldn't leave the Hound to Ramsey's mercy after he had saved her. She wouldn't do that again.

Her destination this night had nothing to do with the Hound though. She crept around the corner and spotted the door she was after. A Bolton guard sat on a stool lightly snoring.

Arya tiptoed up to the guard making sure to listen for any other footsteps. She spotted the keys resting on the guard's belt and with one hand she held a dagger inches from the sleeping man's throat while her other hand tried to prise the keys from his belt.

Luckily for the man she was successful and quickly found the right key for the door. She unlocked it and swiftly closed the door behind her.

What she saw when she turned around horrified her.

Maester Luwin's robes were covered in blood. His fingers didn't even look like fingers anymore. His head hung heavy on his chest and his breaths were wheezy and faint.

There was a dirty wooden table beside Maester Luwin which displayed an assortment of knives, long and short; thin and wide. They all shared one thing in common.

They were all stained with blood.

Arya approached the old man cautiously and slowly trying not to startle him. She gently shook his shoulder but placed a hand over his mouth to silence any cries of surprise but he simple raised his eyes to hers.

Arya lifted her hand and whispered," Who did this to you?"

Maester Luwin took a few moments to reply and wet his dry lips, "Our new Lord did."

Arya felt a pang of rage course through her. She was going to kill Ramsey.

Maester Luwin must have identified the look in her eyes as he said softly, "Just leave Arya. Find your brothers. They are at the Wall. Just get out of here."

"What about you?" Arya said quietly and in a tone that betrayed her tender years.

Maester Luwin raised his head and really looked at Arya, "You know what needs to be done. Ramsey will come back and he will torture me and I can't guarantee I won't tell him you are still alive to stop the pain."

"I … I didn't intend… He won't find me … even if you tell him I am still here" Arya spluttered.

"Calm child. I don't want to take that risk and besides look at me. I won't last much longer. It will be a mercy Arya." Maester Luwin saw that Arya was still wavering and added in an exhausted voice, "Please."

Arya silently nodded. Tears had started to trickle from her eyes as she unwrapped a long piece of cloth from the Maester's robes and placed it around the Maester's neck.

"Thank you, Arya," Maester Luwin breathed, "Your brothers will need you. They will need you to do the things that they can't or won't do."

From behind Maester Luwin's head Arya replied in a soft voice, "I know," before she started to tighten the piece of cloth around the scholarly man's throat.

He didn't struggle. He just silently faded into the night.

When Arya had returned safety back to the Crypts she curled up on the ground before her father's tomb. She gripped a thin bloody knife to her stomach as she started to say the names of those that had wronged her and her family.

The last name she said was _Ramsey Snow_.

* * *

_A week later on a quiet evening …_

**The Hand's Study,** **Tower of the Hand, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Tywin heard the stone slab move. Kenna hadn't used any secret passageway to see him in his Hand of the King chambers since the night of the failed assassination attempt. She always met him at Chatayas's brothel. Their normal rendezvous occurred much later than this hour. He still had work to attend to. Shame. She would have to be sent away.

When Tywin did look up from his parchments of paper, he was surprised to see a smiling Prince Oberyn saunter into his study and plop himself down in the chair opposite Tywin.

"Lord Tywin, a pleasant evening no?" the Prince said in a jovial manner.

Tywin stared at Oberyn. _He used the secret tunnel; how did he know of it and why has he used it._ Tywin knew the answer before the question had reverberated around his head.

"You intend to kill me," he stated as he put down his quill.

Oberyn's grin widened to reach his eyes as he playfully clapped his hands together in a mock celebration.

"And if I call for my guards, I am guessing no-one will come?" Tywin deduced.

Oberyn swung one leg over the other as he relaxed into his chair enjoying every second of this encounter, "Dead guards can't hear."

"How did they die?"

"Poison, naturally."

"You didn't give it to them personally, so who betrayed me?" Tywin's mind bounced back to the woman he had presumed had been his visitor. "Who told you about the passageway?"

Oberyn laughed. "If you are thinking Lady Kenna betrayed you, she didn't. It was the Spider, Lord Varys. He also gave me the name of a whore that could help me gain access to your chambers. I did try to enlist Lady Kenna in my revenge but she wasn't interested. She seemed to have her own plan to escape King's Landing and it didn't involve killing you or being an exile in Dorne."

Tywin nodded taking in all the information Oberyn was giving him. Tywin wondered why Kenna hadn't taken Oberyn up on his offer? It certainly wasn't their affair that had stopped Kenna. Tywin suspected Kenna wasn't above killing a lover. No, it wasn't their arrangement that had and was stopping Kenna attempting to flee the city. Maybe it was her honour to keep her promise to him but thanks to Oberyn and his talkative tongue he knew it was this plan of Kenna's that was stopping her. She had a better option than killing him and stealing away to Dorne.

But discovering Kenna's plan was a matter to be dealt with in the future. If he could manoeuvre himself out of his current predicament to have a future.

Oberyn suddenly leaned forward in the chair opposite Tywin, "Lord Varys told me an interesting thing."

"Oh?" Tywin said trying to keep the conversation going.

"He said that you and Lady Kenna are _fucking_ each other. Is that why she refused my offer? Are you that good in bed you managed to turn her head away from honour, away from justice?"

When Tywin didn't answer him Oberyn brought down a knife in a flash and it impaled Lord Tywin's hand to the table.

Tywin let out a gasp of pain as his other hand enclosed around Oberyn's hand that held a firm grip on the knife. Their faces were mere inches apart now.

"I have waited so long for this moment," Oberyn sneered, his eyes were on fire as he savoured the position, he was in.

Oberyn pulled the blade back out of the table and Tywin's hand. He made his way slowly around the table so he stood next to the seated Lion Lord who held his injured hand with his uninjured one.

"You killed my son's whore," he stated loudly up at Prince Oberyn as his face tensed in pain.

"Yes, I did, after a most wonderful evening with her," Oberyn replied before punching Tywin square on the jaw.

The Prince landed half a dozen more strikes before relenting and taking a few breaths to calm himself. He didn't want to go too fast. He had waited more than two decades for this moment, for this feeling of wanderlust, for his revenge.

"You would be the prime suspect," Tywin managed to spit out as blood dribbled from his mouth and nose.

"No, I _would_ have been the prime suspect," Oberyn said as he lifted his hands to reveal two slight blades. "I'll make sure to stab you enough times that your death resembles Euron's and the court gossip should do the rest. Cersei's grief will connect the dots and probably add Tyrion into the equation as well."

Oberyn sent Tywin a smug smile as he bent at the waist to lean closer to Tywin, "If I were to have killed you, you would have died of poisoning. Everyone knows I studied poisons at the Citadel but blades, they are more Lady Kenna's thing aren't they."

Oberyn straightened up and his smugness was replaced with deadly fury, "Now confess to ordering the Mountain to rape and murder my sister as well as kill her children. If you confess your death will be quick," he said as he flipped one knife in his hand. "If you do not your death will be slow and you will beg for me to finish you."

Tywin looked coldly up at the hot-headed Prince, "Even if I confess my death will be slow and painful."

"Yes, you are right," Oberyn said as he stepped toward the still seated Lord. "There is no quick and easy escape for you."

Oberyn started to throw punches again but this time Tywin responded by rushing out of his chair at the Prince. Before he could land a hand on the younger man Prince Oberyn swept his leg along the floor tripping Tywin up so that he landed on the floor.

Oberyn's shadow fell over Tywin and he rained down blow after blow pausing only to demand a confession. "Admit, you ordered the Mountain to rape my sister, to killer her and her children."

Even if Tywin had wanted to confess the rate that Oberyn was landing blows to his head would have made speech impossible.

Suddenly the onslaught of punches stopped.

* * *

Tywin looked up to see that Oberyn had a crossbow bolt protruding from his gut.

Oberyn gripped the study desk as he collapsed to the floor, breathing heavily and clearly in pain as he tried to remove the bolt.

Tywin's hands also found the study desks edge and he dragged himself up to lean on the table. The crossbow was rapidly becoming his favourite weapon. He looked straight ahead.

"Took you long enough to take the shot," Tywin said to his saviour.

"What can I say I was enjoying what I was seeing," Tyrion said back as he held a crossbow in his hands.

Tyrion started to reload the crossbow.

"Don't kill him Tyrion," Tywin said as he continued to catch his breath and ignore the ringing in his head. "He is more valuable to us alive and will give us the edge in the negotiations."

"Always thinking ten steps ahead," Tyrion acknowledge but pointed the loaded crossbow back at Oberyn anyway. Oberyn had managed to crawl to the wall and was sitting against it with the bloody crossbow bolt discarded on the floor. His hands held his stomach but were doing a poor job at keeping his blood inside his body.

"Enough Tyrion," Tywin demanded in a strained voice.

His vision was still slightly blurry as he tried to move towards his son. His step faltered and only his hands stopped him from completely collapsing onto the floor face first.

Tyrion took a step towards the gasping Dornishman, "He killed Shae."

"Yes, he killed your …," Tywin stopped himself as Tyrion sent him a demented look. "But we can use him, alive."

"He took the only think I loved in this world and killed it," Tyrion said as silent tears ran down his cheeks.

Oberyn coughed blood onto the floor catching both Lannister men's attentions, "Yes I killed your whore but what you father has done to you your entire life is so much worse. He has treated you like shit."

What Oberyn was trying to convince Tyrion to do wasn't lost on Tywin but his body refused to move and his mind was still fighting to focus on his surroundings.

"You could blame me," Oberyn said in between gasps as his eyes flickered between Tyrion and his father, "Just point and pull the trigger."

Tyrion with years' worth of anger swirling in his eyes slowly swivelled to face his half-collapsed father.

"Do you know why I am here Father? Why I used the secret tunnel to come visit you in the middle of the night carrying a crossbow?" Tyrion said sharply as if remembering himself why he was in his father's study.

When his father didn't answer him, instead choosing to spit blood onto the floor, Tyrion advanced to within a metre of the grounded Lord and continued, "I thought you had ordered Shae's death. That action wouldn't have been beyond you."

Tywin stared intensely at Tyrion. For once they were at an equal eyelevel.

His son's intention when he had crawled through the stone slab after Prince Oberyn had been to kill him but he had overheard Oberyn's confession and switched targets.

If you could switch targets once. You could switch targets again.

Tywin lifted his head slightly to look at his emotional son, "Tyrion … you saved my life. Are you now going to take it?"

Tywin was tired of crossbows being pointed in his direction.

Tyrion hesitated but lowered the crossbow, "We can't have the future Lord of the Rock grow up without a suitable father figure can we. The Gods know Jamie and myself wouldn't be up for the job."

Tywin's face twitched as he pushed himself into a standing position.

"Yes, I overheard that bit about you fucking Lady Kenna too. I wonder how Jamie will take it," Tyrion's face lit up. "I wonder how Cersei will take it."

"No," croaked Oberyn at the conversation unfolding in front of him. "Kill him."

"I am not the agent of chaos you think I am," Tyrion said softly to the bloodied Prince. "If I shoot my father now, it will be me verse Cersei till there is only one standing and the survivor would only be standing in the Tyrell's shadows."

"You hate him," Oberyn pleaded.

"I do," Tyrion replied locking eyes with his father, "but he is family. And what is a man without family. In the end that is all we truly have."

Tywin looked through suspicious eyes at his son. If he were a betting man, he would have staked a considerable amount of gold dragons on his son impaling him with a crossbow bolt. But as with everything else his youngest had managed to subvert his expectations. It seemed Tyrion understood the true dynamics in King's Landing. If Tywin fell so did his pride. A pride Tyrion understood he belonged too. He was after all a lion.

"What do you intend to do," Tyrion asked letting the metal point of the loaded bolt tap on the stone floor as he glanced towards Oberyn.

The Prince was sweating profusely and his torso was covered in blood but he still had the aura of a man that was going to live, like he couldn't let go of life until he had completed a final task.

"Go get Pycelle. I will claim that I shot Oberyn in self-defence. His being in my study and the dead guards outside will support that."

"So will the state of your face," Tyrion said with twinkle in his eyes as he looked up at his father's face. "You will get the credit for capturing Oberyn then. I can imagine the songs already, how the Great Lion stomped on the Red Viper."

"And I will get the blame," Tywin pointed out. "The Martells already hate me. There is no reason for them to also hate you and perpetuate the bad feelings between our families into another generation."

Tyrion nodded at his reasoning and started to move towards the door, "What no thank you for saving your life and not killing you?"

"You are, above all else, a survivor Tyrion," Tywin said as he tore a strip of cloth of his own sleeve and started to wrap it around his injured left hand. "You know King's Landing becomes a much more dangerous place for you if I am dead. You didn't kill me because it is better for you if I am alive."

Tyrion spun around at the study entrance eager to take full advantage of the vulnerable position his father was in, aware that it wouldn't happen again for a while if ever again.

"Oh, before I go. Lady Kenna, are you going to continue with her?" Tyrion questioned. He couldn't wait to confront Lady Kenna over this newfound piece of knowledge. What a conversation that would be. It seemed all Lannister men had a weakness for choosing unsuitable women, it had just taken his father longer to succumb that it had Jamie and himself.

Tywin's back tensed and straighten as he regained his composure to face his youngest son, "I am securing the line of succession."

"Is that what you are calling it," Tyrion scoffed, "It is all about your legacy then?"

"No, it is also about honour," Tywin replied, "She promised me an heir and in exchange she demanded Lysa and Littlefinger's deaths. I accomplished my end of the bargain and she will fulfil hers."

"Of course," Tyrion said. Lannister's were equally good at paying debts as they were at demanding they be paid. "Funny how the promise you made allows you to fuck a very beautiful and desirable woman. All in the name of family."

"Tyrion," Tywin warned his son but he had already scarpered from the room leaving the crossbow on the floor.

* * *

A few minutes later Maester Pycelle and a few Lannister guards entered the Hand's study to find Prince Oberyn still breathing, slumped against the wall staring daggers at Tywin with blood seeping through his yellow tunic. Tywin was at his desk furiously writing letters with his uninjured hand while he laid his bandaged hand limply palm up away from his current focus so that blood wouldn't drip onto his parchment. He was completely ignoring the wounded Prince, aware that Oberyn was no threat now.

"My Lord," Pycelle squeaked as he took in the bruised and bloody face of Tywin and eyed the loaded crossbow bolt resting between the two formidable men on the corner of the Lion Lord's desk.

Tywin glanced up from his desk, "Tend to Prince Oberyn Grand Maester. Make sure he doesn't die. He is _currently_ more valuable to me alive than dead."

Tywin switched his attention from Pycelle to the Lannister guards as he thundered, "Convene the Small Council and bring me Lord Varys now."

"You," he said to one of the departing guards, "Take these letters, make sure they are sent within the hour."

"Yes, M'lord," the guard stuttered under the intense scrutiny of his liege Lord.

Tywin sat back and lightly rested his wrapped hand on the arm of his chair as he watched the men before him scramble to carry out his orders.

Tywin's eyes followed the bleeding Prince as he was carried out of the chambers of the Hand.

_His blood wouldn't be the only spilt because of his foolish actions, _Tywin thought_. _

He knew what was coming next and he had to prepare. There was no time to waste.

* * *

_Next day in the afternoon …_

**The Red Keep's Courtyard, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

The sound of a marching army was never a comforting noise to Tyrion. He looked out into the courtyard to see the Tyrell soldiers making their way out of the Red Keep.

Loras Tyrell was marshalling his green and golden covered men towards the gate as his oafish father sat atop his own horse and watched the proceedings. Tyrion's own father had left earlier with his main force that morning to join with Jamie's host and march on Dorne.

Before Tywin had left, he had given Tyrion back his old position of acting Hand of the King and clear instructions to keep the peace between the Roses and Lions. Tyrion rather thought his father had forgotten an animal in that equation but he had held his tongue at the time.

From brother to the Queen, to acting Hand of the King, to Master of Coin, to accused kin and King killer back to acting Hand of the King again. _At least my life isn't boring, _Tyrion told himself.

A subdued voice came from behind Tyrion, "Is it true? Did Prince Oberyn try to kill your father?"

"We wouldn't be mustering our forces against Dorne if it wasn't my Lady," Tyrion replied as he turned around to face Kenna.

Kenna walked up to Tyrion and looked over the balcony bannister to watch as the last Tyrell men march through the Red Keep's gate.

Tyrion thought he saw concern flash in Kenna's eyes, _but what was it for?_

_The men marching below? Prince Oberyn's fate? His father injuries? _Tyrion shuddered at the thought_. _No, there was something else concerning Kenna and occupying her mind Tyrion deduced.

"Well acting Lord Hand, what are you going to do now?" Kenna asked still mesmerised by the measured striding of the rose covered men in front of her.

"In the words of my father, I will rule," Tyrion said as he pushed off the balcony's banister and started to walk back inside the Red Keep.

Kenna rolled her eyes at the little Lord, understanding her good-brother's jesting nature by now and easily kept pace with Tyrion.

Tyrion noticing she was following him asked, "Was there something else?"

"How did Oberyn get captured?" Kenna questioned as she held open a door for Tyrion.

"My Father shot him with a crossbow bolt in self-defence," Tyrion lied.

_Either Oberyn was incredible sloppy or that isn't the truth,_ Kenna thought but kept that sentiment to herself.

"What was discussed at the Small Council meeting last night or would you consider that hour in the morning?" Kenna pried.

"If you weren't there my Lady take that as a hint you don't need to know what was discussed," Tyrion said as they started to walk up the stairs.

Kenna smirked at Tyrion's sassy comment, "Now you have be elevated to Hand of the King have you forgotten who your friends are?"

"We are friends?" Tyrion shot back with a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

"Allies at least. I did save your life or don't you recall your recent tangle with the law," Kenna reminded him in a playful tone.

Tyrion smiled up at Kenna appreciating her being able to keep up with his humour, "Lord Varys has disappeared in the wake of Oberyn's assassination attempt on my father. Which is rather suspicious is it not?"

"Makes sense to disappear if you are behind the failed attempted murder of the most powerful man in the Seven Kingdoms," Kenna concurred.

"Yes, it does but why move against my father now?" Tyrion pondered out loud.

"I have no idea my Lord but if anyone will figure that out it will be you." Upon seeing the enjoyment Tyrion was deriving from trying to come up with possible explanations she continued, "You are made for a place such as King's Landing you know."

"And you aren't?" Tyrion remarked back.

"No," Kenna replied in a harderned voice as they stopped before a guarded door.

Tyrion pushed his way past the red clad guard and Kenna followed unwilling to let go of the conversation. She entered the room and realised they were in the chambers of the Hand. Now Tyrion's chambers.

"I disagree," Tyrion said while locking eyes with her and entering the study. "You seem to be doing extremely well for someone who was dragged here as a fallen Queen of a conquered Kingdom. I would have expected my sister to have found a way to murder you by now but here you are. Still among the land of the living. You will have to tell me _your secret_."

Something in Tyrion's gleeful tone made Kenna's hairs stand on edge. _He knows about my deal with his father._

"You know, don't you?" Kenna asked trying to hide her anticipation at his answer.

"Know what?" Tyrion said playing along as he poured a cup of wine.

"You are enjoying this conversation way too much for you not to know," Kenna said correctly reading Tyrion's behaviour while declining his offer of a cup.

Tyrion kept a hold of Kenna's eyes but a childlike excitement seemed to take grip of him, "Did you know my Lady there are six reasons that a person does anything: _Love, faith, greed, boredom, fear... revenge_. Most people are motivated by fear of something or faith in something. You were clearly motivated by revenge in the past. My brother is motivated by love, my father by greed, …. I guess my sister is also motivated by love for her children.

"And let me guess, you are motivated by boredom?" Kenna said as she eyed her surroundings.

"You know me so well," Tyrion teased as he took a swig of his cup. "What are you motivated by now?"

Kenna took a few moments to think through her answer, "Mostly boredom now."

"Mmmm," Tyrion murmured in delight as he couldn't resist saying what was on his mind, "was it boredom that led you to start fucking my father?"

Kenna panicked eyes found Tyrion's gleaming ones. She stood frozen in the centre of the study, stunned at Tyrion's direct words and unable to conjure up a reply.

Tyrion chuckled at Kenna's mute reaction. He was enjoying this encounter way too much. "To answer your earlier question. Yes, I know."

Kenna looked away from Tyrion once she had fought through her shock at Tyrion vocalising the truth, "I made a promise. A deal. I gave my word."

"Justify it how you like my Lady. It doesn't matter to me. But I would advise keeping it from my sister I don't think she would take too kindly to your ….. arrangement with my father."

Tyrion turned from Kenna and strutted away from the still partially stunned Lady to sit behind the study desk, already enjoying being Hand again.

Oh, how he had missed being Hand of the King. He could let his sharp tongue go to work without fear of the consequences.

"Don't worry I won't tell anyone. My father made it clear that if I valued the new found trust he has placed in me that there should be no hint of a scandal on his return from Dorne."

"You think the Lannister and Tyrell armies will be victorious?" Kenna said slowly finding her voice again.

"Who says there even has to be a battle. My father normally tries to win the wars before the swords need to be drawn and battle cries uttered," Tyrion said as he finished his wine.

Kenna indicated she would take that offered drink now as she noticed flecks of blood on the desk before her. Tyrion obliged his good-sister and they sipped their goblets in silence as their minds plotted and schemed for their future selves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> R.I.P
> 
> Maester Luwin (Strangled by Arya so he wouldn't have to suffer Ramsey's torture anymore)
> 
> This death unexpectantly hit the feels with me. The circumstances (mercy killing) just make it incredibly depressing as there really was no escape for Maester Luwin and death was the better option in the face of Ramsey's torture but for Arya to do it … mmmm I mean that is like killing your favourite primary or high school teacher :(


	39. The Turning Tide

* * *

_A week later …._

**Last Hearth, One week ride from Winterfell, Seat of power of House Stark in the North, Capital of the Kingdom of the North**

* * *

Robb, Jon and Mance watched as a few dozen Northmen made their way back from the gates of Last Hearth. Robb and his rag band of an army had been staring at the gloomy gates of Last Hearth for the best part of an hour, waiting for Smalljon Umber's invite to enter.

"And?" Robb questioned the returning men as Mance and Jon sat still on their horses beside him.

The leading solider gave Robb a nervous look. "He said he wouldn't open his gates for the man that let the Wildlings through the Wall and that …. that you were no King."

Robb gripped the reins of his horse tightly as anger radiated through his body. He looked up to the snowy sky as he let out a deep breath that turned into a misty fog. Failure always seemed to be one step ahead of him.

He had had enough of lesser men trying his patience and dictating what he could and couldn't do. He was done with traitorous lords forgetting their vows and being merciful with those that had wronged him. From now on there would be no second chances for those that sought to get in his way.

_This ends now,_ Robb thought.

"Go back to Smalljon Umber. Tell him if he thinks I am no King, that I am nor worthy of the North, tell him to meet me in the shadow of Last Hearth's walls and we will settle this the old way."

"Robb," Jon said in a concerned voice.

Robb ignored him and addressed the soldier, "You heard me. Now deliver my message."

The soldier bowed and the group of Northern men turned their horses and kicked onwards to the gates of Last Hearth again.

"We could take the Last Hearth by force if necessary," Jon pleaded wanting to avoid the one-on-one combat scenario.

"Yes, and we would probably lose half our army in the process," Robb replied as he dismounted his horse and drew his sword.

Mance watched silently as the two brothers continued their exchange of words.

"You don't have to risk yourself Robb. I can fight instead," Jon offered knowing that he was his brother's equal with a sword but not when it came to war strategy and battle tactics. If the North was going to be ripped from Ramsey Snow's grasp it would require Robb's strategic ability and Stark name.

"What type of King would I be if I let other's fight my battles for me?" Robb countered.

"A smart one," Mance interceded.

Both Robb and Jon snapped their heads back to look at Mance. The King Beyond the Wall simply matched their stares with his cold grey eyes. He held no fear for mortal men.

Robb returned his cold gaze to his brother, "I will fight Smalljon Umber. I will kill him. Then we can rest in Last Hearth and plan our next moves."

Before Jon could continue to argue Robb walked out into the snow-covered ground between his army and the walls of Last Hearth and waited with his sword in hand.

* * *

Smalljon Umber and Robb stared at each other through the cold air. Both held one-handed swords and stood a dozen metres apart.

The physical resemblance to his father was clear but Greatjon's good nature had not been passed down to his son as was evident from the blatant betrayal of his King. The only personality trait Greatjon had passed down was his love of fighting.

The Umber held a malicious smile on his face as he advanced towards Robb. He probably thought this was his lucky day. The day that he would kill a King.

"You would dishonour your father in such a way," Robb threw at Smalljon Umber.

"My father was a cunt," Smalljon replied as he readjusted his hands on his sword.

Robb let the lumbering man come towards him as he prepared to unleash all his tension and rage. He was Robb Stark, King in the North, eldest son of Eddard Stark. Who was the Umber man to deny him his birth right and stand in the way of him rescuing his sisters?

He was no one.

Smalljon pulled his sword back to start his swing and that is when Robb's burring fury took over.

Robb brought his own sword up to parry the bigger man's strike and once their swords had clashed Robb stepped forward slashing and stabbing as his anger ebbed out of him into his sword strikes. All Smalljon could do was block and step back each time Robb stepped forward.

Then Robb saw the opening.

Robb quickly manoeuvred himself to Smalljon's side as his opponent tried to recover his balance from Robb's last slash and brought his sword down with all his burning might.

Smalljon's sword fell the floor, with his hand still around the handle.

The current Lord Umber collapsed to the floor holding his bleeding stump as he howled in pain looking up at the King in the North.

Robb looked down at the withering Lord that had the audacity to challenge him and block his path back to his sisters. The sudden terror on his face meant nothing to Robb. Both his hands tightened around the handle of his sword as he brought it down, again and again and again until the traitorous Lord's blood had melted the snow around his cooling body and his screams had left the icy air.

Sometimes sons were not their fathers and that statement was none truer than when Robb looked down on the mutilated corpse of Smalljon Umber. _A pathetic excuse for an Umber,_ Robb thought, _maybe his son will do better._

Robb gave the corpse below him one last look of repugnance before calling out for his army to approach Last Hearth. As the adrenaline pumping around his body started to fade away, he too proceeded towards the still closed gates as he dragged the body of the late Lord Umber behind him.

He allowed himself to smile as the gates opened ahead of him. This was his first victory against Ramsey Snow and he endeavoured to make sure there were many more to come.

* * *

Same day_ …_

**Baelor's Sept, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Kenna leaned into Lord Royce's shoulder with her arm intertwined with his as they descended down the steps just outside the Sept of Baelor. Lord Royce's presence was the only thing that made her feel truly protected and reminded her of her life before she had been dragged to this shit pile of a city.

Since the departure of Tywin's and the Tyrell's forces from King's Landing the city had felt empty to Kenna, especially at court where the absence of the male nobility was visible often with Tommen and Tyrion being the only high-born males in the room.

Kenna refocused her minds thoughts to the current task at hand. _Surviving the latest Westeros wedding. _

The marriage ceremony between Margaery and Tommen had been pleasant enough. Sweet words had been said, vows had been spoken and joyous clapping had thundered around the Sept when the two had kissed and pledged their love.

As they reached the bottom of the steps they were greeted by an eerie sight.

Cersei stood there watching the procession of her son and Margaery with a false smile plastered on her face as the wedding party made their way back towards the Red Keep.

Kenna indicated to Lord Royce that she would be fine to carry on alone as she disengaged from him and stood beside the former Queen regent.

"A lovely ceremony," Kenna said diplomatically.

"Was it," Cersei snapped. "My son has married a harlot."

"I recall your other son marrying the same harlot," Kenna said slyly.

"You dare mention Joff-,"

"It must be strange for you now with so few Lannisters being in King's Landing. You must feel lonely. Your brother, father and daughter are in Dorne as well as most of your soldiers and lovers," Kenna said to the open air in front of her knowing her last words had knocked Cersei's fake smile from her face and she couldn't help herself so she continued to needle Cersei. "You only have Tommen and Tyrion for familiar comfort and both will be sadly very busy ruling the Seven Kingdoms. What will you do with your time now?"

Cersei turned to Kenna and closed the space between them, "I will do what I have always done. Protect my family no matter the cost."

"I am sure Tyrion will rejoice at your words," Kenna slyly said.

Cersei recaptured her air of fake pleasantries and drew Kenna into what probably looked like a friendly hug of joyfulness that was expected for a happy occasion such as a royal wedding.

"One day Lady Kenna I am going to take everything you hold dear and set it on fire," Cersei whispered into Kenna's ear before stalking off into the trailing wedding party.

Kenna lightly nodded at Cersei's strong words, as if she agreed that Cersei would certainly try to carry out her threat and held the chuckle that was on the tip of her tongue. She had grown accustom to Cersei's attitude towards any perceived threats against her family over the past few months she had spent being a captive in King's Landing.

But really, the former Queen was just a cat trying to roar.

Cersei held no power in King's Landing anymore. In the absence of their father Tyrion had the remaining Lannister men's' loyalty as acting Hand of the King and Cersei no longer commanded the position of Queen and therefore had no control over the crown's men.

What she thought she could achieve or defend was beyond Kenna but it was amusing to see someone so use to commanding power not realizing when it had slipped from their grasp.

Kenna still had a little grin on her face as Lord Royce rejoined her.

"Did Cersei say something funny," Lord Royce inquired in a quizzical tone making it clear he doubted the possibility that Cersei had a sense of humour.

"Not intentionally," Kenna replied as the two Vale nobles looked out into the streets of King's Landing as the wedding party continued on its way towards the Red Keep.

Kenna spotted her good-sister and good-brother in the crowd. Sansa was staying close to Tyrion as they both navigated the throng of Tyrell women who were prancing around Margaery and Tommen.

She wondered if Tyrion kept Sansa informed of what was happening in the North. Kenna had to do with what gossip the court spat out and the current whispers were not in favour of the King in the North. From what she had gathered House Bolton and House Karstark were in open rebellion against Robb and Winterfell had been taken _again_.

Kenna clenched her teeth together.

She should be with Robb helping him, not stuck in King's Landing playing the docile prisoner. One of the only positive outcomes of taking up arms against the insult of Eddard Stark's death had undoubtedly been meeting the dead man's son.

Robb had reminded Kenna so much of his father and the pleasant memories in her childhood of growing up in the Eyrie. When they had first met Robb had been idealistic believing in doing what honor and honesty demanded, he had been tactically brilliant on the battlefield but naïve to the true nature of war and ruling.

Simply put Robb Stark was a good man fighting for what was right and Kenna had been surrounded in the filth of deceit in King's Landing for so long she feared she had lost her way by playing the great game. She missed and craved that friendship and sense of being just and righteous in her actions.

Kenna's reminiscing was interrupted when she noticed a grubby street urchin watching her and Lord Royce intently. The girl was holding something against her midriff.

Kenna beckoned for the little girl to approach. The child did so in a quick dash motion and held out a letter. As soon as Kenna hand enclosed around the letter the girl shot off into one of the alleyways where she had undoubtedly come from.

"My Lady?" Lord Royce asked eyeing the piece of paper in her hand.

Kenna shrugged as her fingers started to open the unsealed letter.

'_My dear Lady Kenna,_

_If you are reading this letter then I am no longer in King's Landing and you are most likely residing in the Black Cells for the murder of Lord Tywin.'_

Kenna licked her lips, _guess again Lord Varys_. It was nice to know that Lord Varys wasn't omniscient.

Kenna continued to read the letter.

'_I want you to know that it was not a personal choice to frame you, just a convenient one. The true culprit was Prince Oberyn. I am writing this so you may defend yourself in the trial to come and use this letter as proof'_

Kenna scoffed loudly. Varys wasn't naming Oberyn so Kenna could hypothetically defend herself in a trial. If Kenna had announced Prince Oberyn as the murderer in a trial with Vary's letter as her proof it would have caused his arrest and led to a war with Dorne.

Kenna appreciated Vary's luck or perhaps he had calculated all the outcomes possible because despite Tywin's assassination attempt not going to plan it looked like Varys had gotten what he wanted anyway.

Chaos and infighting in Westeros, to make it easier to be taken by an outside force.

Kenna smiled, that is exactly what she wanted too to a certain degree but she suspected Varys had backed a different horse to her.

'_I pray that you will survive the coming tribulations and hope that we will meet again, that one day you will understand my actions and what I hoped to achieve by them.'_

'_The waves bring what you seek.'_

Kenna folded the letter up and tucked it away against her bosom and the fabric of her dress.

"Kenna," Lord Royce said gently trying to decipher the joyous expression that had crept over her face.

_The waves bring what you seek_, Kenna repeated in her mind.

_The eunuch knew what my plan was from the very beginning and he did nothing to stop it,_ Kenna realised as she looked up into the concerned eyes of her mentor.

"They are coming," Kenna replied as her eyes shifted to scan the horizon in eager anticipation.

* * *

_A few days later …._

**Last Hearth, One week ride from Winterfell, Seat of power of House Stark in the North, Capital of the Kingdom of the North**

* * *

"Will they continue to fight for me or will they cut and run do you think?" Robb said as he observed the Wildlings wondering around Last Hearth's open-air courtyard still harbouring feelings of suspicion.

"The Wildlings are simple and honest folk," Jon stated as he leaned against the wall beside Robb and copied his sibling in watching the Wildlings gawk at the stone buildings that now surrounded them. "They do what they say they will do. They don't deal in the tricks and manipulations that the South is famous for."

Robb shuffled on his feet trying to rid himself of the numbness that had started to creep into his stationary body, "Mance Rayder doesn't strike me as simple."

"No but like those he leads he values strength above all else and by defeating Smalljon Umber you have demonstrated your strength to him and commitment to settling the Wildings south of the Wall."

"Mmm," Robb agreed while watching the Wildlings mill about and glance around Last Hearth in astonishment at the complex structures that made up the Umber seat as if it would all disappear in a blink of the eye.

Suddenly all the Wildlings started to tear their attention away from the surrounding architecture. Robb and Jon's eyes searched for what had captured the Wildling's attention.

Robb's eyes lit up in recognition as he saw Mance and a dirty looking woman walking beside him.

Robb strode towards the two Wildlings as Jon trailed behind him.

Rob hesitated to speak as if he was having trouble deciding what words would express his feelings most clearly in the moment.

"Osha, I heard you were dead," he settled on.

"Did a small, pasty looking bastard tell you that?" Osha replied gruffly.

"Ramsey Bolton informed me that you had died protecting Rickon from your own kind," Robb confirmed.

"That isn't true," Osha snarled, "that bastard said that you had sent him to find Rickon and then … then he stabbed him. He was only a little boy and that bastard stabbed him. He smiled as he did it too …. like he enjoyed what he was doing."

Jon noticing how Robb winced upon hearing Rickon's true fate took up the mantle of questioning Osha.

"How did you escape Ramsey?" Jon asked.

"I didn't escape Ramsey. He said he had places and people to visit. That he had no time to … enjoy me. He let me live so one of his men," Osha spat into the floor, "could have his fun chasing me down."

"And," Jon prodded.

"And when that man caught up to me, he found out that chasing me wasn't worth the effort," Osha said with a deadly gleam in her eye. "I had a knife hidden in my furs and when he got close enough, I jammed it in his eye. Oh, how he howled in pain. He howled even more when I jabbed his other eye out too."

"How did you end up in the Umber's cells?" Robb questioned having recovered from imagining Ramsey stabbing his little brother to death.

"Some Umber men came across me covered in blood. I said it was animal blood but they didn't believe me," Osha shrugged.

"I am impatient to meet this Ramsey Snow that everyone is talking about," Mance stated grabbing the attention of the two noble men and Wildling woman.

"You will meet him soon enough," Robb assured the Wildling leader, "but there are others that we must deal with first to ensure that there will be no help for Ramsey when we besiege Winterfell."

"When do we leave then?" Mance asked, keen to establish his people in the Gift as soon as possible.

"At first daylight tomorrow," Robb answered authoritatively.

* * *

A few days later, midday_ …_

**Outer Walls of King's Landing, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Kenna stared out into the waves that swayed in the distance as the wind whipped her hair around her face every so often trying to forget the half dozen Lannister guards that surrounded her position. She had been watching the same spot for too long as her mind was starting to play tricks on her moulding the fog that hung-over Blackwater Bay into ship like shapes. She squinted her eyes into the fog and instead of seeing a ship she saw Balerion flying towards her as if he were racing against something.

Kenna held out her arm signalling for Balerion to join her and after a few moments the falcon descended on to her arm in a flurry of wings and made its way up her arm to sit contently on her shoulder.

She sighed as she let her head dip down towards the top of the wall where her hands currently rested. Kenna's hope and patience was being tested and it was wearing her down.

"So, this is where you have been hiding these past few days," Tyrion's said in a playful voice with Bronn walking closely behind him.

"Just enjoying the freshness of the impending winter Lord Hand," Kenna replied as the crisp air hit the back of her throat as she sucked in a breath.

"Really? Here I was thinking you were avoiding me because you just can't handle losing to me another time at cyvasse," Tyrion teased.

"You do know that you haven't beaten me at cyvasse," Kenna said turning to face the little Lord.

"Mmmm I recall never having lost to you," Tyrion replied watching Balerion carefully, he knew what the bird had done to See Meryn's face.

"Not quite the same thing as winning is it though. We have never actually finished a game of cyvasse. You always make it into a drinking contest. And that is something you can claim to beat me at. But not cyvasse."

_There is only one person who has beaten me at cyvasse,_ Kenna added as an afterthought in her mind.

"Besides my Lord Hand I doubt you would be able to see through what was a real win and what was a tactical loss," Kenna said cryptically.

"A tactical loss? Why would you lose on purpose?" Tyrion asked interpreting Kenna's words correctly.

"Because the opponent gives away what they think is a winning strategy and reveal what their tactics are while you reveal nothing and give your opponent false confidence in their skills."

"Maybe, but you lose the game," Tyrion pointed out growing concerned with the topic they were discussing.

"Yes, you lose a few early battles here and there but the knowledge you can pick up about how your opponent thinks could ultimately win you the war in the end. Besides Robb Starks current situation demonstrates that winning battles does not guarantee that you will win the war."

"When did we start discussing the war my Lady?"

When did we ever stop discussing the war?" Kenna shot back with such venom that Balerion took it as a hint to soar into the sky.

Tyrion was about to reply when the bells of the city started to ring out.

* * *

"Fuck," Bronn swore, "King's Landing is under attack."

"What," Tyrion gasped at his sell-sword friend not quite believing what he was hearing and was being told.

"Oh, fuck me," Bronn shouted as he pointed behind Kenna.

Tyrion's focus followed his friend's finger. His eyes went wide and his skin turned a shade paler.

Kenna too turned around to once again face the sea. What she saw almost made her cry in joy and relief. She had waited and waited for this moment. Kenna had gambled on predicting the movements of the most stubborn man alive in all of Westeros and she had called it right.

He had not let her down.

She saw the burning stag sigil of House Baratheon of Dragonstone drifting through the mist. She saw the proud white falcon of House Arryn amongst a light blue background burst through the fog that hovered over the calm waves. She saw burgundy sails displaying a cluster of gold skulls hanging from a red spear.

_Ah so he spent my money well,_ Kenna approved.

The Golden Company was one of the largest and most skilled sell-sword companies in Essos and had a reputation of never breaking a contract. A good choice when one was trying to reclaim the Iron Throne.

"How did we not know they were coming?" Tyrion asked in a wavering voice before his face shuddered in realization. "Varys … he knew Stannis was coming but neglected to inform us. Fucking eunuchs. They can't be trusted," Tyrion growled in frustration at the true extent of Vary's betrayal.

"You should go. Your city needs you. _Again_," Kenna said calmly still looking ahead into the oncoming mass of ships that were becoming more visible the closer they got to King's Landing's walls.

It would only take another few hours at the most before they would land on the shores of Blackwater Bay and start battering down the gates of King's Landing.

Tyrion eyed Kenna's back and clearly had something to say to her but thought better of it. He rushed back towards the Red Keep to prepare the defenses of King's Landing with Bronn in what little time remained leaving Kenna alone with her Lannister guards.

Since Kenna had arrived in King's Landing she had felt like a feather on the wind. She had been pushed around and controlled. But now within sight of Stannis's attacking fleet she felt back in control, like a falcon coasting on and using the wind to propel her in whatever direction _she _wanted to go in.

Her internal musings were interrupted when one of her Lannister guards tugged at her shoulder.

"M'lady we need to escort you to Maegor's Holdfast."

Kenna silently nodded in agreement. All highborn woman would congregate at Maegor's Holdfast till the men had battered each other into submission. Kenna couldn't think of anything worse than being trapped in a room full of crying drunk noble woman. She hated most of them enough when they were sober.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RIPs
> 
> Lord Smalljon Umber (Killed by Robb with multiple sword strikes to the body so that he bled out on the cold snow)
> 
> It felt right that in the same chapter in which I confirm Locke's death that another character would have his hand cut off LOL. His death was deserved because he had the coolest father ever and he was a douche of a son! He betrayed Robb by siding with Ramsey due to his hatred of the Wildlings and he choose wrong! Let's hope the adorable Ned Umber will rule Last Hearth better (I am telling you now Ned Umber doesn't end up pinned to a wall, screaming while flames engulf him).
> 
> Locke (Killed by Osha with a knife through the eyeball as he tried to rape her)
> 
> I know it is Game of Thrones and all but Osha is a wildling so she can handle herself and I am going with the scenario that Locke was thinking with his cock and not his head so Osha had an opening and well …. Locke lost both eyes and his life.


	40. Charge of the Stag

* * *

_A few hours later in the evening …._

**Blackwater Bay, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Stannis turned to his Hand, "Stay on _Silent Storm_ with Shireen. I can't have my best adviser die before my reign has really begun. Lord Grafton and Commander Strickland are leading the current charge."

"You will hear no complaints from me, your Grace," Ser Davos said in an understanding tone. "I am not much of a fighter. I will remain on the ship."

Stannis gave a stiff nod before jumping down from the ship into a smaller boat to join the mass of small boats carrying his army towards the doomed city of King's Landing.

Davos watched as the torches of the assaulting force lit up the black water. There was hardly an area of Blackwater Bay that was not touched by the light of Stannis's new found god.

"It is beautiful is it not," Melisandre said, startling the old smuggler.

"Men rowing to their possible deaths?" Davos replied in a churlish voice.

The red woman took hold of Davos's fingerless hand. "No, faith in destiny. Stannis is the Prince that was Promised and he will take back King's Landing from those that do not believe in the Lord of Light and he will cast away the shadows that plague its inhabitants."

Davos took his malformed hand back from Melisandre's grip and stated in a dour voice, "Only if he survives the siege."

"Your lack of faith in your King is disturbing, especially when the Lord of Light has ordained your King to be the one to combat the impending darkness. I have already given a sacrifice to ensure that Stannis will be victorious this time."

Melisandre started to move away from Ser Davos but the Onion Knight struck out his good hand blocking the red priestess exit from the conversation.

"What do you mean sacrifice," he said with a look of dread covering his face.

"Stannis knows what I did," she calmly said.

Davos lowered his arm and charged towards the lower decks of the ship.

The red priestess didn't follow Ser Davos's movement, knowing already what he was going to find. Instead she settled on the ships bow to watch the growing stream of torches advance on King's Landing's shores. Some boats had already reached the shores. Shouts and screams started to reach her ears and the noise of war started to dominate the Bay.

A few minutes later Davos appeared by her side again.

"Why?" he asked in a somber tone.

"King Stannis asked me to do everything in my powers to secure his victory this time," Melisandre said not taking her eyes away from the fiery scene in front of her.

Davos copied her and looked out into the bay, watching as the light of the massing torches reflected on the sea and started to converge on King's Landing's walls.

"Stannis knew that you were going to kill her?"

A second later Davos felt the red priestesses press a hand to his cheek and it took all of his restraint not to flinch away from her touch or the ignited show of belief in her eyes as she paralyzed the old smuggler with her words.

"I didn't kill her Ser Davos. I gave her the poison, she swallowed it of her own volition. She wanted to help Stannis become the King that she knew he could become. The man that would bring light to a land full of darkness. I watch as the poison burned through her and not for one moment did she regret her decision. She was a true believer and she will now walk eternally in the light of R'hllor."

"You have left a daughter without her mother."

"Yes, but Princes Shireen is not alone. She has you. And her father will be King," Melisandre said as she returned her attention to the siege of King's Landing.

Davos didn't carry the conversation on further he seemed to struggle to find the words to appropriately express his disgust or was silently thanking whatever gods were listening that it had been Selyse and not Shireen that Melisandre had chosen to sacrifice.

* * *

_Same time …._

**Outer walls of King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

"Notch, Loose. _Just bloody keep firing_," Bronn yelled at the City Watch guards that lined the outer walls of King's Landing.

He knew and the men knew that they simply didn't have the numbers to repel the invading force. Even if every time they drew an arrow it killed a man there weren't enough arrows for the mass of men that were running towards them.

Bronn spotted Tyrion and Tommen on the wall, looking down at the screaming cluster of Baratheon, Arryn and Golden Company men. Some were ramming the gate; some were firing arrows back at the defenders and some were climbing ladders to reach the top of the walls.

"What no bright idea this time," Bronn shouted at his friend as he ran past him to kick a ladder off the wall.

"Last time I had more time," Tyrion looked around him, "and more men."

"We aren't wining this are we Uncle?" Tommen asked in a soft voice that was misplaced on the battlefield.

"No, your Grace we are not," Tyrion agreed, impressed Tommen hadn't transformed into a puddle of tears seeing his first real experience of war.

Tyrion had tried to convince Tommen to stay with Cersei and Margaery in Maegor's Holdfast but the young King had insisted it was his responsibility to lead the defenders and protect his people.

He was already a million times a better king that Joffrey had been but his reign was about to be shorter than his elder brothers.

"Maybe you shouldn't have sent that tall Lord to the cells. He looked like he could handle a sword and would have been useful in a fight," Bronn said as he fired a crossbow into the swarming men below the walls of King's Landing.

"What Lord Royce? You do realised he is a Vale Lord and some of the men below trying to kill us are from the Vale. If he had stayed and I had given him a sword he would have been more likely to cut your head off than help us," Tyrion expounded.

Bronn shrugged and opened his mouth to hurl some abuse at a city watchman who had dropped his bow in terror at the fiery sea below them but was interrupted when an almighty crashing sound indicated that the gate had been breached.

"Now the real fun begins," Bronn said with a smile only a fighting man could conjure up as he unsheathed his sword and dagger.

"We need to work on your definition of fun if we survive this," Tyrion replied as he and Tommen followed Bronn down the stairs to meet Stannis's forces.

* * *

Tommen rushed after his Uncle and the rough sell-sword as he fumbled with his Valyrian sword to release it from its sheath.

The Valyrian sword felt unnatural in his hand. Since his brother had died his grandfather had insisted upon a strict regime to build him into the best King he could be but a few months of swordsmanship, military strategy lessons and political lectures from the mighty Tywin Lannister had not prepared him to wield his late brother's sword in combat or repel his Uncle's siege with such limited resources.

Tommen ran down the stairs into the mob of men below knowing that he would most likely not make the trip back up the stairs. What drove him on into the throng of clashing men below was fear.

Fear that if Stannis won everyone he loved would suffer.

Tommen swung his sword at the nearest Baratheon solider not out of spite or anger but out of love for his family. For the Uncle that fought beside him; for his mother that worried for him; for his sister who he promised he would see again; for his grandfather who said he had the potential for greatness; and for his wife that had coaxed out the man inside the boy.

The swing connected with the Baratheon man's arm and the solider turned his attention from the city watchman he had just cut down to the young man that had just missed a perfect killing opportunity.

The man thrashed out with his sword and Tommen only just parried it but ended up on his back at the force of the blow. The Baratheon solider stalked after him as the young King scrambled backwards trying to regain his footing.

"Leave him," a stern voice shouted out and the Baratheon man moved away from Tommen to reveal the would-be usurper Stannis Baratheon.

"You have grown since I last saw you," Stannis said as he watched his young _nephew _climb back to his feet and hold _Widow's Wail_ in front of him.

Stannis knew from the boy's stance and hold on his sword that he was no threat. He would make this quick. Stannis tightened his grip on his own sword and strode towards the current King of the Seven Kingdoms.

To Tommen's credit he swung first but Stannis easily parried then ripped the sword from the young boy's weak hold and tossed it to the ground.

Stannis pressed forward with his own sword out in front of him and his intentions were clear.

"Stop," a loud voice came from behind Stannis, "If you kill him now you will have one less bargaining chip to barter with when my father comes back and is baying for your head."

Stannis paused his advance towards the frightened and defenseless boy.

He turned around to see that his men had overwhelmed the remaining defenses and were pushing deeper into King's Landing. He saw the current Lord Hand covered in mud, pushed to the floor looking at him with pleading eyes.

The dwarf was right. Tywin Lannister wasn't a man to take lightly and once news of his victory reached the Old Lion he would march his armies back to King's Landing.

Stannis sheathed his sword.

If Eddard's Starks death was a strategic mistake, the lesson was not to execute valuable prisoners who could be used to sue for peace or control your enemies.

Stannis had made enough mistakes in his bid for the Iron Throne. He wasn't going to make any more when securing his reign.

* * *

_Same time …._

**Maegor's Holdfast, Red Keep, ** **King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

"Calm down and sit-down Margaery, you can't influence what happens now. We are at the mercy of the victor," Olenna said to her pacing granddaughter.

"How can you remain so calm?" Margaery asked.

"Life is too short to worry about which man can beat the shit out of another man the best. We just need to ensure that we are more valuable alive than dead."

"Grandmother," Margaery half laughed half reprimanded as the vulgar language attracted the attention of the other noble ladies that were cooped up with them.

"It is true though," Olenna said while indicating for Margaery to sit beside her and once her granddaughter rested near her, she whispered, "If Tommen still reigns when the sun sets, great everything can procced as normal. You are the Queen. If Stannis wins, well he will still need grain and our support in the Reach. He will most likely murder Tommen if the poor boy isn't already dead and we will be back were we started."

"You think Stannis will just let us go?" Margaery said unconvinced.

"What other choice does he have? He can't kill everyone that has opposed him in the past. There would be no one left to rule over," Olenna stated.

"This is a man that killed his own brother for the Throne," Margaery said remembering her first husband.

"Yes, and a man that did that won't have many friends will he," Olenna postulated, "He will have to look for allies where he can get them."

Margaery conceded the point but still retained her worried look.

* * *

Kenna stifled a yawn as she gently squeezed Sansa's hand. "Don't worry. One way or another this will all be over soon and no matter who is King your head isn't on the chopping block."

"What about yours," Sansa said in an almost inaudible voice.

_That is a good question,_ thought Kenna. If Stannis won all was rosy for her and the Vale's future; if Tommen remained and Tywin decided to punish Kenna for her role in bringing Stannis to King's Landing then a beheading might be a nice outcome for her.

Kenna smiled back at Sansa, "Let me worry about my head."

"Do you think Tyrion will be allowed to live if he survives?"

"Probably not, his last name is Lannister," Kenna said casually.

"Our last names are Lannister," Sansa noted with a hint of fear clinging to her once she had spoken the words.

"So they are," Kenna mumbled, not concerned as Stannis knew her contribution to this night.

In her mind she had never left the Arryn name behind and Sansa was still a Stark in her eyes and in the Light of the Seven since her marriage to Tyrion was still unconsummated.

"I hope he survives and can convince Stannis not to execute him and us. He isn't like the rest of his family. He gave me this to protect myself."

Kenna looked down to see Sansa holding a slim knife in one hand.

"And why would you need that here?" Kenna inquired, resisting the temptation to show Sansa her own knives.

Sansa shifted her head towards the only man in the room.

Ser Ilyn Pyne leaned against the barred door scanning the room every so often.

"He isn't just here for our protection you know," Sansa said into Kenna's ear.

Kenna nodded considering how best to kill the mute before he killed her, realizing that the only reason he would be in the room would be to ensure that certain noble women died if Stannis was victorious and Kenna knew her name would be on his list as well as Sansa's.

Her murderous intent was interrupted when she heard her name wafted through the confined space.

* * *

"Lady Kenna, I asked you a question."

Kenna turned her head to see Cersei looking at her expectantly.

"Apologies _Lady_ Cersei, what did you ask me?" Kenna said as she stood from her seated position with Sansa to approach the blond lady and her gaggle of noble women.

"I asked you if you knew how many Valemen where trying to breach the walls of King's Landing to rape and murder us," Cersei said in a loud voice gaining the attention of all those gathered in Maegor's Holdfast.

"Zero as far as I know," Kenna answered quickly aware of the distrustful looks she was getting from the other noble ladies.

"I saw the symbol of your house on one of the ships sails," a noble lady piped up from behind Cersei.

_Shut up bitch,_ Kenna mentally attacked the lady as she sensed the anger and worry of the trapped ladies build. Even Olenna and Margaery were looking at her with darkened eyes.

Kenna tried to calm the situation down and replied in her most assuring voice, "Yes, there are Valemen assaulting the walls of King's Landing but none of them are here to rape and murder you."

"All men in war will rape and murder the conquered," Cersei stated with conviction as she began to stoke the fear and anxiety in the room, "Her men are no different. She is Stannis's ally. She brought Stannis here. She is the reason why King's Landing is under attack. Why your husbands and sons are fighting for their lives right now and why we cower in fear waiting for her men to find us."

There was a beat of silence before one of the younger women behind Cersei launched herself at Kenna, clawing at her face and screaming incoherently.

A few other ladies copied and soon Kenna was fending off half a dozen women.

Kenna heard Olenna shouts to stop as she tried to push the women away and calm them down but after a few punches and scratches to her face and an elbow to her ribs she realised she was in a deadly situation and had to respond in kind.

She screamed in rage as she struck out with her knives and embedded her talons in the nearest woman. It was the woman who had first attacked her that felt her fury.

She immediately regretted her outburst of anger as she stared into the face of the woman she had just stabbed. The woman was younger than Kenna, probably around Sansa's age. The shock and terror that flashed through the woman's eyes pushed all the air from Kenna's lungs and the rage that had consumed her in that deadly moment ebbed from Kenna as quickly as it had flowed into her.

These women weren't her enemies. They were just scared.

The wounded woman fell from Kenna's hands to grip at her stomach and crumbled to the floor.

Margaery rushed towards the fallen lady as the other ladies who had assaulted Kenna backed away from the bloody scene realizing that it could have been one of them that now lay dying on the floor before Kenna.

Kenna looked from her bloody hands to Cersei's face. She was smiling ear to ear.

For a full minute no one spoke till Margaery looked up from her kneeling position by the stabbed woman at Kenna, "She is dead." _You killed her_, were the unspoken words from Margery's lips.

"Ser Ilyn kill her," Cersei ordered as she brought a cup of wine to her lips. If this was going to be her last night in this world, she was going to enjoy herself and cause as much damage to her enemies as possible.

_Fuck._ Kenna mentally swore as she looked at Ser Ilyn Pyne.

The mute executioner unsheathed his long sword and walked slowly to Kenna ignoring the calls from Olenna to stop. All Kenna could do was back away from him as she ran out of space. He had the longer weapon and Kenna held no hope that an experienced solider such as Ser Ilyan Pyne would miss time a swing to allow her to reach him with her shorter blades.

Kenna's back hit the wall but the Stranger's servant kept coming towards her. His steps were deliberately slow as if he cherished the fearful moments before death rather than the act of killing itself.

Ser Illyn Pyne grimaced at Kenna or it might have been an attempt at a smile. Kenna didn't care her focus wasn't on the man's face but on his weapon as it gleamed in the candle light.

Kenna braced her hands on the wall behind her. If she was going to die, she was going to die fighting not trapped against the wall waiting for the killing blow.

She pushed herself from the wall and struck out with one of her knifes in the hope she would reach Ser Ilyn Pyne before his sword cut her in half.

She got half way between them before she knew it would be futile to continue in her dash and the next actions all appeared to happen in slow motion.

Ser Ilyn Pyne dropped his long sword and it clattered to the floor. His hands went to his neck where a slim blade protruded. Behind him stood Sansa who appeared to be in a state of total shock at what she had just done.

_She stabbed him_, Kenna deduced as the executioner pulled the blade from his throat. Blood started to spurt from the open wound but the grizzly man turned away from Kenna and faced Sansa.

He stepped towards Sansa and for a moment Kenna was worried she would have to intervene but after a few unsteady steps Ser Ilyn Pyne too fell to the floor before Sansa.

The frozen girl continued to look at the dead man, even when his blood reached her shoes.

Kenna recovered first and she slowly looked from the dead man's growing pool of blood to Cersei.

_Your turn,_ Kenna communicated with her eyes alone.

The older woman dropped the cup she was drinking from and jumped out of the chair she had been reclining in as Kenna stormed towards her with her knives out.

"Fucking bitch," Kenna growled as she closed on Cersei.

The slap echoed throughout the chamber they were in and Cersei's screams followed as Kenna cornered the former Queen against the wall and dragged her knife over Cersei's left cheek, drawing blood as she went.

Kenna heard Olenna's and Margaery's cries to stop but they were as ineffectual with Kenna as they had been with Ser Ilyn Pyne.

Then she heard a voice that mattered.

"Please stop."

Kenna turned her head back to look at Sansa. Silent tears steaked her face. The candle light revealed a profound sadness in her eyes.

"Don't let them turn you into a monster. Don't become like them," Sansa said, her voice heavy with anguish at the scene in front of her and the violence she had just witnessed and committed. "Please stop."

_I think it might be too late for that my dear child,_ Kenna thought but she relented and allowed Cersei to slide down the wall cradling her bloody cheek.

Kenna went to Sansa and gathered her into a hug. The red head buried her head into Kenna's neck and released the waterfall of tears that she had been holding back. Kenna too let the stress of the day and her recent actions wash over her.

Loud banging could be heard at the door and the squeaking of the hinges indicated it wouldn't hold for much longer.

Kenna disengaged from Sansa and lightly pushed her behind herself so that Kenna was in between Sansa and the weakening door.

Kenna took in a deep breath. If a Crown loyalist broke down the door it meant death. If a Stannis loyalist broke down the door it meant life.

The door fell to the floor.

Lord Royce stomped through the doorway with Lord Grafton and a cluster of Arryn men on his heels.

"Kenna," Lord Royce murmured as he reached his lady and grasped at her shoulder in a supporting manner.

Kenna gave him a small smile in return and couldn't hold back the tears that fell from her eyes.

She was free. Free of the Lannisters. Free of King's Landing. Free of her revenge. Free to rule the Eyrie as she wished.

"I thought you would be pleased to see us," Lord Grafton rumbled as his men rounded up the trapped ladies and escorted them out of the room.

"I am so pleased to see you Lord Grafton, you really have no idea," Kenna said to the stocky Lord. "Where are your men taking Cersei and the Tyrells?"

"Stannis wants any important prisoners brought to him in the throne room once they have been found," the sailing Lord replied in a jolly tone.

"I presume that I and Lady Sansa don't fall into that category," Kenna clarified.

"Over my dead body would you or Eddard Stark's daughter be dragged into the throne room as a prisoner," Lord Grafton declared passionately.

Kenna had forgotten how carefree and gladsome Lord Grafton could be. The Graftons' alongside the Royces' where one of the most loyal houses to the Arryns. Lord Grafton's personal loyalty to Kenna was the main reason she had chosen him to command the three-thousand men that had set sail before the fall of the Eyrie, and because he was the best sea captain that the Vale had to offer.

Lord Royce exchanged a look with Lord Grafton and the smaller Lord offered his hand to Sansa, "Come Lady Sansa I will ensure your safety and you are now under my protection until the day that Queen Kenna releases me from that duty."

"I am still a Queen to you?" Kenna said in a chipper voice.

"You never stopped being a Queen in my eyes," Lord Grafton said as he winked at Kenna, "but just a word of warning when I referred to you as such in front of Stannis, he nearly had me thrown overboard."

Kenna nodded at this piece of information and Lord Grafton offered Sansa his arm and the two left the chamber leaving Lord Royce and Kenna alone with the two dead bodies.

"Care to explain what happened here," Lord Royce gently inquired as he guided Kenna into a comforting hug, just glad that they had been reunited and were now free of the Lannister's influence.

_I'd rather not,_ Kenna silently answered as she melted into Lord Royce's embrace.

* * *

_A few days later during a sunny morning …._

**Nightsong, Seat of power of House Caron guarding the Prince's Pass, southwestern Stormlands **

* * *

Tywin looked down onto the Prince's Pass that cut through the Red Mountains like a river from the formidable castle of Nightsong as his hands rested on the outer wall of the castle.

He was due to meet with Prince Doran in the valley below at midday to negotiate the conflict between the Crown and Dorne.

Tywin knew better than to trust the word of a Dornishman alone. He had dragged Prince Oberyn all the way from King's Landing with him so he could use him to treat with his elder brother.

Tywin ran over his tactical positioning in his head. The Tyrells were blocking off the Boneway pass so the Dornish forces couldn't slip past there and his own men were guarding the Prince's Pass. There was nowhere for the Dornish army to go but through either the Lannister or Tyrell host if they wanted to attack north that is. And if they attacked one army the other was free to advance further into Dorne and lay siege to Sunspear.

Of course, Tywin knew of the troubles the Targaryens encountered when trying to conquer Dorne but the threat of an invasion was a card he would like to hold when discussing the future with Prince Doran as well as the threat of executing Prince Oberyn.

"It is time, Father," Tywin heard Jamie say behind him.

Tywin narrowed his eyes as he looked down into the sandy valley below.

"So it is," came his thinking reply.

* * *

Jamie trotted beside his father as the hundred strong Lannister party approached the waiting Dornish men. The Dornish had set up a massive tent to shield the talks from the sun and the wind whipped sand.

Jamie saw that Prince Doran was sitting in a wooden wheelchair underneath the roof of open tent, flanked by an enormous black man that wielded a wickedly curved spear. A couple dozen Dornishmen surrounded their Prince with hands on weapons as the Lannister men halted their horses a few dozen meters shy of the tent.

Jamie squinted his eyes towards the tent and saw that Prince Doran was talking to what looked like a miniature version of himself and a young-looking blond lady who sat in the surrounding recliners.

_Myrcella_, Jamie's mind shouted. His daughter was here.

"If they start the violence, we will finish it," Tywin stated to his son as he dismounted reading the tension in Jamie's face.

Jamie followed suit while containing his unease and they made their way towards the sitting party surrounded by a ring of Lannister guards.

"Lord Tywin, Lord Jamie" Prince Doran greeted, quietly noting the healing bruises around Tywin's face, fully aware his brother had caused them.

"Prince Doran, Prince Trystane, Myrcella. Shall we begin," Tywin said authoritatively, as if the presence of his granddaughter changed nothing.

Prince Doran waved his hands indicating the Lannister Lords should sit at the placed chairs but both green eyed men ignored the chairs and remained standing, a few meters away from the Prince as if highlighting Doran's inability to stand.

Jamie saw the tall black man's hands grip his weapon tighter and his own hand went to the hilt of his valyrian sword, although he doubted, he could defeat the black giant if it came to it.

"I came to negotiate the truce between the Crown and Dorne. Not exchange pleasantries," Tywin's voice boomed.

"Well then. Let's negotiate," Doran said in a strong voice as he leaned forward in his chair. "You have my brother. I want him back."

"He tried to kill me," Tywin pointed out in an unamused tone.

"In revenge for the deaths of our sister, nephew and niece," Doran glowered.

"The Mountain did that, not I."

"He was your man; you were his commander. Are you are saying that the Great Lion of Casterly Rock couldn't control his own mad dog?" Doran insulted.

Tywin eyes wandered from Doran to Myrcella as if noticing her for the first time. "As I told your brother, I cannot be held responsible for every action one of my men takes in a war."

Doran sat back in his chair in response to Tywin's words and clear shift in focus, "You know my brother's response to that claim and I am inclined to agree with him."

Tywin ignored the obvious accusation in Doran's words, "Then you might meet the same fate as him."

"No one has ever conquered Dorne. Do you think you could change that?" Prince Trystane challenged, clearly rattled by Tywin's thinly veiled threat.

Tywin turned his head to address the young Prince and observed how his granddaughter's hand rested on Trystane's arm as if tempering him.

"If I must," Tywin said hitting the young man with an icy stare.

"If you must," repeated Doran taking Tywin's attention away from his son, "Meaning you are seeking another option?"

"I once sought out a Dornish alliance. I know we are beyond that now but what I want is a truce. Your armies will stay in Dorne and-"

"Let me guess your armies will stay out of Dorne?" Doran guessed.

Tywin nodded.

"You have just confessed you would like to avoid a war with us which indicates to me you don't think you would have much success. So, forgive me if I already believe that your armies will stay out of Dorne regardless of what I do with mine."

Tywin narrowed his eyes at the crippled Prince and signaled to one of his Lannister guards who promptly disappeared from view.

"If you force me, I will crush your armies and take your cities but not before I have your brother's throat slit before you. I can have that arranged right now if this negotiation concludes without any significant terms agreed."

"Your granddaughter sits in front of you and you talk of killing my brother," Doran expounded.

Tywin replied reading the implication in Doran's words, "If I kill Oberyn I am just serving justice to a man that tried to kill me while you would be killing an innocent little girl who was to become your own good-daughter. You will have lost your brother; your son's future wife and you would have two strong hosts knocking at your gates. Yes, you may inflict many casualties but Dorne will fall. I will make sure of that."

Doran locked eyes with Tywin, "You would play with your granddaughter's life?"

The anxiety in the tent was almost palpable as both Jamie and Trystane caught onto what their fathers were discussing while Myrcella managed to control her features so that the only outwardly sign of stress was the tight grip she had on Trystane's arm.

Tywin stood steadfast and delivered his answer with an air of confidence, "I would have an end to this stupidity your brother has started. He may have wanted war, death and blood but you are a man of peace. Don't let your brother's actions dictate the future of Dorne."

Prince Doran looked into Tywin's eyes. Here was a man that meant what he said. It was true that his brother had always been the fiery one of the two and he held no appetite for war. Especially a war that could be postponed till the Targaryen girl and her dragons had crossed the Narrow Sea.

But he saw through all of Tywin's words. The Lion Lord didn't want war either. He didn't want to waste his men on Dorne if war could be avoided.

Doran knew that a smart man wouldn't invade Dorne but simply keep the Dornish behind the Prince's Pass and The Boneway. As hard as it was to invade Dorne it was equally just as hard for Dorne to invade the Reach or Stormlands due to the two easily defended pathways. Whether there would be war or peace the most likely outcome was two armies stuck on the border of Dorne and the Stormlands fighting or staring at each other.

Tywin was a smart man; he knew this despite his words of invasion. Doran was a smart man as well. Both didn't truly want war against the other.

Not yet anyway.

It had been Oberyn's actions that had brought them together and necessitated this meeting. And it was his brother that he now fixed his eyes on.

* * *

Doran sent Tywin a chilling stare as the Lannister guard that Tywin had sent away returned escorting his brother and pushing him so that the Prince of Dorne fell to his knees beside Tywin.

Prince Oberyn's hands were tied and the guard remained one step away from him. Gone was that cocky smile that normally graced his face. There was no swagger in the way he had walked and he hadn't moved with his usual fluidity. His skin was the palest Doran had ever seen it, no doubt a consequence of being locked in dungeons cells. But the most striking aspect of his little brother was how his shoulders stooped and how his eyes stayed on the ground. There was no spark of intrigue or simmering playfulness that Oberyn usually held in himself.

Then it hit Doran. This was his brother when he was beaten and in despair. Doran had never seen his brother defeated. He doubted his brother had ever been beaten before. The image before him chilled him to the bone.

_Sending you to King's Landing was a mistake,_ Doran chided himself as he looked at his weakened brother.

Tywin flicked his eyes between the brothers. "I want to conclude our negotiations today Prince Doran. It will either be war tomorrow or peace."

"You haven't given any terms yet," Doran pointed out tearing his eyes away from Oberyn.

Tywin walked towards the immobile Prince as he spoke, "My terms are simple. We both stand-down our armies. Your brother remains my hostage to ensure your future cooperation. And to make it clear that House Martell and the Crown are committed to this truce, I suggest that my granddaughter and your son are married before either of our armies start their marches home."

Tywin had stopped a mere foot away from Doran, within the swing of the wicked looking spear that Doran's bodyguard held.

Doran gave his brother a pained look, knowing that if Tywin was struck down so would the Red Viper feel the touch of cold steel. From the confidence radiating from Tywin he knew Doran's preference was for everyone to live, not for everyone to die.

"I agree will all your terms but I will add one of my own," Doran said up at Tywin before continuing, "Oberyn's paramour, Ellaria, she is the mother to five of my nieces. I would have her returned to me if not my brother."

Tywin held out a hand, "Agreed."

Doran slowly met Tywin's hand with his own. "Just know Lord Tywin Dorne will never forget."

Tywin inclined his head, allowing Doran the last word if it so pleased him.

* * *

_That afternoon …._

* * *

Jamie kicked his horse on beside his father as they returned to their main host. His mind was running over what had just happened since they had left Trystane and Myrcella's wedding celebration.

"Yes," came his father's voice from his left.

"I didn't say anything," Jamie rebuked.

"You are thinking very loud though."

Jamie paused organizing all his thoughts into a question. "Would you have really condemned Myrcella to death by killing Oberyn if Doran hadn't conceded to a truce."

Tywin shook his head, "That is the wrong question Jamie. The right question was would Doran really have let his brother die for a war he doesn't have the appetite for."

See his son was still not satisfied with his answer Tywin slowed his horse to a walk and addressed Jamie more directly.

"Sometimes it is not about what you have. It is about what you are willing to do. I have demonstrated in the past that I am willing to go to war and destroy entire houses for my family. Prince Doran has demonstrated again and again that he is not willing to do the same or Robert's Rebellion might not have happened."

Jamie nodded, "You have established a reputation so that you may use it to sway people instead of actual actions."

"Yes," Tywin said pleasantly content that his son had grasped the concept.

"And you think Myrcella will be safe in Dorne," Jamie asked once again thinking of his daughter's welfare.

"She is now married to the future ruler of Dorne. She is as safe as any noble woman could be," Tywin replied as he stopped his horse to observe his army marching past him back towards King's Landing.

Jamie positioned his horse beside his father's, "It felt when I let her go at the altar that she was gone for good. That I would never see her again."

Tywin lowered his voice, "She is a Martell now; she isn't a Lannister. _She isn't your daughter_."

"She was never my daughter. I have never been a father," Jamie said quietly before turning to his father, "Much like you."

Before Tywin could recover from the unexpected slight from his son Jamie kicked his horse forward to rejoin the marching men.

Tywin took a few moments to control the outburst that was rumbling in his throat. He expected this sort of behavior from Tyrion not Jamie.

A Lannister solider rode straight up to Lord Tywin in extreme haste. His face was red from the effort of riding hard and his rapid breaths impeded his ability to relay his message.

"Yes?" Tywin asked impatiently taking some of the residual anger he felt towards Jamie out on the panting messenger.

"My Lord we have received word from King's Landing," the rider gasped.

"Well go on then," Tywin ordered.

The man gulped. His liege Lord was not going to take the news well.

"King's Landing … it has fallen. Stannis Baratheon now sits on the Iron Throne."

"What how?" Tywin exclaimed. "Stannis was supposed to only have a few dozen ships and three thousand Arryn troops to support him. With what army did he take the city?" Tywin demanded.

"He had the Golden Company backing him. There were so many of them and so few of us. They tore through the skeleton defenses. Lord Tyrion told me to rush and inform you of the city's downfall."

Tywin's mind methodically worked through the information presented to him. _Stannis, Golden Company, Vale ships and men … and gold … gold Lady Kenna took from Casterly Rock … gold used to pay for the Golden Company's services …. _

"My daughter? The King? Tyrion?" Tywin asked becoming aware of how fast his heart was beating.

"I know nothing other than the gates were breached and Stannis's forces had flooded in," the Lannister man replied.

"Go, find my son and replay what you have told me to him. Go. Now," Tywin ordered.

He needed a few moments to process how the balance of power had just dramatically shifted towards the remaining Baratheon brother and what he was going to do about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RIP
> 
> Selyse Baratheon (Committed suicide by drinking poison given to her by Melisandre to ensure Stannis's victory in capturing King's Landing)
> 
> To be honest I didn't really like this character in the show and the only redeeming quality in her was she couldn't live with herself after Shireen's death in the TV show. Okay that went darker than I intended. Anyway, she dead now but Shireen survives in her place!
> 
> Random aggressive noble Lady (Stabbed by Kenna in self-defense/anger)
> 
> Bitch thought she could take Kenna down … Cersei really should be blamed for this she whipped those trapped ladies into a frenzy and unleashed them on Kenna. I guess this death is more of a reminder that although Cersei has lost all traditional forms of power, she is still a manipulative biatch and dangerous.
> 
> Ser Ilyn Pyne (Stabbed in the throat by Sansa when he was about to cut Kenna in two)
> 
> You go girl! When I started this story, I never thought I would be writing a scene where sweet summer child Sansa would actually kill a man but here we are. Good bye Ser Ilyn Pyne you may now join your relative Podrick in death :) You were very good at cutting heads off people but I already have an abundance of characters who are good at that :P


	41. The Iron Stag

* * *

_Midnight – A few hours after the walls of King's Landing had fallen and a few days before the truce in Dorne …._

**Throne Room,** **Red Keep, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Kenna and Sansa arrived into the candle lit Throne room with Lord Royce and Lord Grafton either side of them. Behind them were a few dozen Arryn soldiers.

The Throne room was full of soldiers. Baratheon, Arryn and Golden Company mercenaries.

Stannis sat on the Iron Throne still in his bloodied battle amour with Ser Davos standing to his left and with Melisandre standing to his right. All three sets of eyes followed Kenna's party as they closed the distance between them.

Kenna gave Sansa a comforting nod before walking ahead of her party and stopping just before the steps that led to the Throne. Both Vale Lords fell back from Kenna and flanked Sansa instead as they stopped a few feet behind their freed Lady.

Before kneeling in front of the new King of the Seven Kingdoms Kenna turned her head to the left to see the impressive roaster of prisoners bound and shadowed by imposing Golden Company men.

Pushed to the floor and chained was the dethroned boy king Tommen who still wore his mostly clean amour. Margaery knelt beside him with a blank expression on her face as if she had finally encountered a situation she didn't know how to handle. Tyrion stood with his hands clasped together as if it was his own choice to have his hands bound together, his eyes were glistening as he observed everything that was going on around him. Cersei too had been forced to her knees but instead of looking around like her brother her eyes were firmly stuck on the floor. Kenna felt the warmth of satisfaction wash over her as she saw the cut on Cersei's face, it had stopped bleeding but it would leave a scar. Olenna Tyrell was the only prisoner who looked like she was comfortable. She sat on a wooden chair and her hands were unbound. The Queen of Thornes gave a little nod of acknowledgement to Kenna.

_Well played my dear._

Kenna returned the gesture before kneeling and turning her head back to Stannis after surveying the captured nobles.

Stannis addressed the kneeling Lady, "Lady Kenna I am glad to see that you are alive and managed to survive in this pit of vipers. Robert's ghost would have haunted me if you had perished during the siege."

_If any ghost is going to haunt you it is going to be your little brother's not your older brother's,_ Kenna thought. Brienne had informed as many people as she could of how Renly had truly died. Most didn't believe her but Kenna trusted the honorable Lady's word over Stannis's silence on the matter.

Stannis was the Baratheon brother Kenna had had the least interaction with as he had mainly cloistered himself on Dragon Stone while she had been in King's Landing growing up with Renly and Robert. The last time they had met was during the Greyjoy Rebellion, and that was a time Kenna harbored conflicted feelings over.

"Are you injured my Lady?" Stannis asked directly.

Kenna looked at him confused for a second before he pointed towards Kenna's blood coated hands. On instinct she flexed her fingers and found that the scarlet blood was still sticky and had only just begun to dry on her skin.

"It isn't my blood," Kenna replied staring at her red stained hands and willing the image of that terrified woman out of her mind.

Stannis gave a gruff grunt in response as if he had thought as much,

"Your Grace," Kenna started changing the topic, "let me congratulate you on your victory. Today is a momentous occasion in the history of the Seven Kingdoms. Today the rightful ruler sits once again on the Iron Throne."

"Lady Kenna, it is a victory that I owe very much to you. Without your help I would not be here," Stannis said in an even voice.

_So he does understand how much his victory is really my victory. I may get what I want,_ Kenna mused as she listened to her new King.

Stannis continued, not taking his eyes off Kenna, "I understand that your sense of justice hasn't faded since the Greyjoy Rebellion. As a reward for the provisions you provided me with in my campaign, I name you to my Small Council as Master of Laws and your Lord Grafton will be my Master of Ships. I also grant you the titles of Warden of the East and Lady of the Eyrie."

Kenna hid her indifference flawlessly already thinking she had those titles and that being named to the Small Council was a paltry gift in return for Kingship over seven kingdoms, "Thank you, your Grace."

This wasn't the reward she had been after.

Stannis switched his attention from the kneeling Lady to the kneeling prisoners as he announced to the crowded Throne room, "All the remaining forces loyal to the usurper Tommen Waters have been subdued and we are in total control of King's Landing. Our forces guard the Red Keep, patrol the streets and stand on the walls of King's Landing. But this war is not finished. Tywin Lannister and Mace Tyrell's hosts will return and we will be ready when they do."

Stannis stood from the Iron Throne and walked down the steps to Kenna as he addressed the Golden Company mercenaries standing behind the captured Lannister's and Tyrells, "Lock them up in the Black Cells."

"I am a frail old Lady," Olenna protested.

"A frail old Lady who married her granddaughter to my traitor brother, then twice to bastard usurpers. You will get the treatment you deserve Lady Olenna," Stannis stated in a gravelly voice.

Lady Olenna stayed silent as she was ushered out of the Throne room alongside her granddaughter but the heat in her stare could be felt by all those that had watched the exchange.

Stannis indicated for Kenna to rise to her feet and she did so that they stood a meter apart.

"I know there is more that must be said but for now we must rest. The first Small Council meeting of my reign will commence soon. I will see you there," Stannis commanded as he brushed past Kenna and was quickly followed by Ser Davos.

Kenna gave Sansa a reassuring smile before exchanging a serious look with Lord Royce.

_We still have work to do._

Kenna felt a hand grab her wrist. Her eyes snapped to the offender. She found dark brown eyes that contained a burning fire looking into her own steely blue eyes.

"She would have died a happy old woman surrounded by her children when the Lord of Light took her," Melisandre sharp voice floated down to Kenna.

"Who?" Kenna asked while looking up at the woman accosting her.

"The Lady you just killed," Melisandre replied still intensely staring into Kenna's eyes.

"Maybe your Lord of Light changed his mind," Kenna said as she pried her wrist out of the red woman's grasp wondering how Stannis's foreign advisor knew she had killed a woman.

"Perhaps," Melisandre said slowly as she watched the Vale Lady back away from her.

Kenna returned to Lord Royce, Lord Grafton and Sansa rubbing her wrist. It felt hot and tingly like it had been burnt.

"What was that about," Lord Royce asked throwing a glance behind Kenna at Melisandre who now seemed lost in her own thoughts by the steps leading to the Throne.

"Nothing of importance. We should rest. I get the feeling tomorrow and all the days to come will be busy and important for the future of the Seven Kingdoms," Kenna said in a tired voice as she rubbed her fingers together, as if testing to see if the blood was still there. Still drying on her hands.

"Here, here. I haven't slept in a proper bed for months and conquering a city makes one dog tired," Lord Grafton laughed as he led the group out of the Throne room.

* * *

_A few days later …_

**Small Council chamber, Red Keep, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Ser Davos eyed the gathered Small Council members, there were only five so far. Stannis sat in the middle of the table with Davos himself sitting to his King's left and Melisandre sitting to his right. Kenna sat opposite Ser Davos while Lord Grafton sat across from Melisandre. Davos couldn't help but think that placing the Vale nobles on the other side of the table was a bit of a diplomatic faux pas as it highlighted that there were two parties at the meeting instead of one.

Davos started the meeting, "Our most pressing concern should be the Lannister and Tyrell hosts that are returning from Dorne. It appears that Prince Doran has agreed a truce with Tywin Lannister sealed by the marriage of Trystane Martell and Myrcella Lannister so his full focus will be on us now."

Stannis glanced at Ser Davos, "I have no wish to repeat my experience at Storm's End. We must be prepared to repel his siege."

"I don't think it will come to that your Grace," Kenna offered from across the table and when Stannis indicated for her to continue she added, "We have his daughter, his son, and his grandson. If he approaches the walls of King's Landing we can threaten to execute all three of them. He won't attack if it will mean their deaths."

"I will execute his children anyway, regardless of where Tywin Lannister marches his forces," Stannis stated coldly, "His daughter made a fool out of my brother and produced three bastards with her own brother, while Lord Tyrion blew up half my army in Blackwater Bay and killed my Hand's son."

"I would advise again executing them straight away," Kenna said in her most diplomatic voice knowing that Stannis was the most undiplomatic person in the room if not the Kingdom. "They are more valuable alive than dead."

"And you think that King Stannis should listen to you?" Melisandre's seductive voice vibrated down the Small Council table.

"I am on this Small Council to advise the King am I not? And my advice would be to use the hostages to break the Tyrell and Lannister alliance, not enrage them," Kenna said resisting the urge to snap at the mysterious woman whose purpose for being in Stannis's company was not entirely clear to Kenna.

"And how might we do that," Davos jumped in before Melisandre could antagonise Kenna further. "The Tyrell host is rumoured to number up to fifty thousand now that Lord Mace has joined his grandson from High Garden."

Kenna resettled into her seat before directly addressing Ser Davos, "Offer to Lord Mace to return his mother in exchange for him marching his army back to the Reach with the caveat that if his army ventures into the Crownlands again that it will mean Margaery's death."

"You think Lord Mace will accept that?" Davos queried.

"I think he would when it is made clear to him that the alternative would be an all-out siege on King's Landing where both his mother and daughter would die before he would breach the gates, if he were even to breach the gates. The Tyrells may command the largest army in the Seven Kingdoms but their true leaders are behind the walls of King's Landing not outside them."

"What of the Lannisters?" Stannis asked, clearly not wanting to offer them anything but cold steel.

"With the Tyrell host gone, Lord Jamie and Lord Tywin would have roughly thirty thousand men under their direct command. Not enough to recapture King's Landing but enough so that we would be fools to attack them outside of the walls of King's Landing. The same approach may work with Tywin Lannister. Offer him back Lord Tyrion in exchange for him marching his army back to the Westerlands and keep Tommen and Cersei as hostages, and like with Margaery use their deaths as a threat to future incursions on the Crownlands, Stormlands and the Vale."

Stannis thoughtfully rubbed his chin but the steely spark in his eyes never left, "I can see the craftmanship in your plan Lady Kenna but Cersei Lannister will die for what she did to my brother as well as the Kingslayer. That is not negotiable."

"My husband is not within our grasp so his fate is not in our hands," Kenna pointed out.

The word _husband _seemed to ripple around the gathered party as if they had all forgotten who Kenna had married.

"We could offer an exchange to Tywin Lannister," Ser Davos suggested after a few beats of silence, "Lord Tyrion for Lord Jamie and we could keep Tommen as a hostage like we would Margaery with the Tyrells."

Kenna noticed how Ser Davos conviently didn't mention what his plan was for Cersei and Jamie once they had been reunited in King's Landing.

_He might prove a good choice for Hand,_ Kenna mused.

"Lord Tywin is no fool," Stannis said sharply, "He will know that I intend to execute Cersei and Jamie. He won't give up his eldest son for his youngest son nor will he stomach his grandson being held a prisoner in the very city he was supposed to rule from."

"You think fighting him will be inevitable," Kenna deduced.

"Yes, and there is no point in delaying the inevitable. We will fight the armies that oppose us, we will win, and we will move forward," Stannis said as Kenna visibly dimmed as he said his piece.

It appeared that there was no middle ground with Stannis, only victory or defeat. Right and wrong.

Stannis turned to his Hand, "When the Lannister and Tyrell hosts approach King's Landing organise a parlay to give Mace Tyrell our offer. He will either take it and live or refuse it and die."

"Yes, your Grace," Ser Davos nodded before clearing his throat. "There is still the matter of filling the other Small Council positions that needs to be discussed and we have received news from the North on the civil war as well as reports on how Daenerys Targaryen fares in Meereen."

* * *

_A few hours later …_

**Corridor outside Small Council chamber, Red Keep, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Lord Royce waited patiently for the Small Council meeting to be adorned, alongside Stannis's personal bodyguards who stood unflinching by the closed door.

The Small Council had been in session for hours now and Royce knew that by now Kenna would be getting frustrated. His Lady had many virtues but patience wasn't one of them.

Suddenly the doors burst open and the Baratheon guards moved aside to let the Small Council members filter past them. Lord Royce watched as the red priestess strode past him with Ser Davos whispering angrily at her as they both moved through the corridor. Lord Grafton stomped toward him as if trying to get feeling back into his legs after being sat down for so long.

"How was it?" Lord Royce asked.

"I would rather be tied to the mast of my ship during a bloody storm than sit through a meeting like that again," Lord Grafton puffed out. "But don't worry next time you will be with me."

Lord Royce was about to question Lord Grafton's words when he heard a cold voice call for him.

"Lord Royce," came Stannis's voice from the doorway of the Small Council chamber. He stood with Kenna, who he could tell was troubled despite the pleasant smile gracing her face. "I congratulate you on your new position as Master of War and expect to see you at the next Small Council meeting."

"It is an honour your Grace," Royce responded.

Stannis slightly nodded and marched down the corridor with his personal guard following him.

Kenna slipped in-between the two old Vale Lords as they started to make their way down the corridor in the opposite direction to their King.

"Master of Laws, Master of Ships and now Master of War, all titles that are held by the Vale now. I feel King Stannis is trying to appease you my Lady," Lord Grafton quipped.

"As he should considering it was mainly my ships he has been sailing around on, my men that fought alongside his during the siege and my money that paid for the Golden Company and is still paying for them," Kenna said in a hushed tone.

"When will you force the issue?" Lord Royce asked cryptically aware that Stannis would not take Kenna's future request well.

"When the situation in King's Landing has stabilized and the Lannister and Tyrell hosts have been dealt with. There is no point me pushing for an independent Vale if the Lannisters and Tyrells are still a threat. I won't see the Eyrie be taken again," Kenna said with conviction.

"And what did our new King decide to do about the two hosts marching towards us?" Lord Royce inquired.

"He would gladly fight everyone and anything that opposes him despite there being better options," Kenna said not concealing her annoyance at Stannis's single mindedness. "Luckily Ser Davos seems a sensible fellow and will parlay with the Tyrells when they approach and we will see if they accept Stannis's offer or not. Stannis seems to think that a parlay with the Lannisters would be a waste of time."

"If no deal is struck there are a lot of Lannister and Tyrell soldiers to kill and we can't rely on support from the North or the Vale," Lord Grafton dejectedly noted.

_If there is no deal we won't be staying in King's Landing for long,_ Kenna thought to herself already making alternative plans if Stannis proved to be a worse King than his brother.


	42. Choices

* * *

_A week later …._

**Gardens, Red Keep, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (of Dragonstone) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Melisandre watched from her vantage point on the balcony as Commander Strickland and Lady Kenna completed their third circuit of the gardens. A combination of Golden Company mercenaries and Arryn guards kept a respectable distance from the two but were maintaining a protective circle around them as they wandered around the shrubbery and colorful flowers.

Melisandre was concentrating so hard on Commander Strickland and Lady Kenna she didn't hear when a man crept up beside her and rested his arms on the balcony railing she was currently staring over.

"Lady Kenna has captured your interest I see. She does that," came a quite but confident voice.

Melisandre turned slightly to her left to see a surprisingly familiar face, "Just as I appear to have captured yours."

Qyburn smiled at Melisandre's quick retort, "A priestess of R'hllor isn't a normal occurrence in King's Landing."

"Under Stannis that will change," Melisandre replied before returning her attention once more to the strolling Lady and Commander below.

"Excellent," Qyburn said without hesitation.

Melisandre raised an eyebrow at the little man's reaction.

"I find your claims of foresight fascinating. The more there are of you or the more claims you make the more I can study you and find out if you are all charlatans or if the future is truly foreseeable," Qyburn stated as if he was excited with either outcome.

Melisandre rebounded on the odd man, "It is not for us to understand the Lord of Light, just to follow his visions and make his wishes come true. I doubt a man not touched with the faith of R'hllor would be able to understand his visions."

"Oh, my Lady _everything_ can be understood and taken apart, it just requires patience and time," Qyburn said as he gave the priestess an appraising look.

Melisandre took a few steps away from the little man as she realised that his attention and words were unnerving her.

"I have seen you in one of my visions," she said trying to rid herself of the uncomfortable feeling that had seeped into her while she had been in this scholarly man's presence.

"What was I doing?" Qyburn asked with zeal, eager to begin his research.

"You were screaming as you burned on a pyre."

If his prophesied death had surprised him Qyburn hid it well, "And how did your god communicate my death to you? Did you dream it? Did you see it in a fire? Did he write you a letter and send it by raven?"

"You mock what you don't understand," Melisandre snapped.

"Perhaps," Qyburn said turning from the garden to walk back to his lab, "Or are you mocking all of us with your fake tales and predictions. I guess only the future will tell."

* * *

_Half an hour later …_

* * *

Qyburn shut the door to his lab as he stepped back into his domain. He didn't see Artys and shook his head slightly, _that boy has been scarce since King's Landing had fallen into Stannis's hands. _

Qyburn didn't have long to ponder on where his assistant was spending his time as Lord Royce and Lord Grafton entered into his lab.

Both Lords gave him a serious look, _this can't be good,_ thought Qyburn as he walked over to his work bench so it was between him and the Lords.

"We know," Lord Royce said before Lord Grafton added, "So don't deny it."

"What are you talking about?" Qyburn asked genuinely confused.

"Artys told us you visited Kenna's chambers last night," Lord Royce said with a tense expression on his face. "Is she okay?"

"Yes of course. She isn't ill," Qyburn answered trying to alleviate Lord Royce's fears.

"Then why were you visiting her?" Lord Grafton asked immediately.

"Ah, um I think Lady Kenna should tell you herself," Qyburn said but he instantly regretted his words of secrecy as both Lords walked around the work bench in a pincer move and towered over him.

"I am asking _you_," Lord Royce said in a deep voice with a slight edge to it.

"I … am not sure it is any of your business," Qyburn stuttered under the Lords' scrutiny.

"Everything to do with her is my business," Lord Royce stated with absolute certainty.

As the two Vale Lords invaded his personal space even more than they had already Qyburn's mind flashed back towards the time he had spent at Harrenhal and decided the only time he had felt more uncomfortable than he currently felt was the experience of surviving the Mountain's massacre at the burnt out castle.

He cracked.

* * *

_A few minutes later …_

* * *

Kenna sat on her bed staring at two little bottles that rested in her hands. Qyburn had delivered the two bottles to her earlier that morning before her meeting with Commandeer Strickland. Each one contained a deadly poison. She was deciding on which to administer to her chosen target when she heard her two most loyal Lords burst through her main chamber door and ushered her handmaidens out of her chambers.

Kenna heard through her closed bedroom door the slam of the main chamber door shutting and the footsteps of heavy Lords advancing on her position.

Kenna had a good idea what knowledge had prompted this sudden transgression of her personal chambers.

_I should have known that Qyburn's visit would have been noticed and they would have managed to get him to spill his secret, _Kenna huffed to personal experience Kenna knew how persuasive Lord Royce could be when he knew you were hiding a secret.

Lord Royce burst through the door but Kenna heard Lord Grafton speak first.

"You are pregnant," he practically shouted as he rushed through the doorway.

"Why didn't you tell us," Lord Royce demanded as his boulder like frame filled the space of her bedroom.

Kenna slowly placed the bottles of poison on her bed and rose to stand before the two apprehensive Lords.

"I only found out yesterday," Kenna said calmly, "and I didn't know what your reactions would be considering my child's parentage."

"Ba," Lord Grafton dismissed Kenna's concerns, "As far as I am concerned the only thing that matters is it will be your child. Children are the greatest joy in the world. My six light up my world."

The beaming joy Lord Grafton was getting from Kenna's news settled her own nerves and she let the tension she had been holding ooze out of her.

"I don't care if Jamie Lannister is the father," Lord Grafton stated.

Kenna quickly moved her hand to the stocky man's shoulder, "Lord Grafton … Gerold, please keep my pregnancy a secret. I am not ready for the rest of King's Landing to know just yet."

Lord Grafton pulled Kenna into a bear hug, "Of course. I am just happy for you."

"Thank you," Kenna replied as Lord Grafton released her.

"I better go apologize to Qyburn. I think we nearly frightened the poor man to death earlier," Lord Grafton laughed as he exited the chambers.

It was only when Kenna heard the main chamber door close again that she turned to her mentor, "You are very quiet."

Lord Royce's eyes borrowed into her own, "Yes, because I don't like being lied to."

Kenna gulped, she had never been able to fool him, "I was lying to you?"

"You told me Jamie Lannister had no interest in bedding you and you didn't mention that he had changed his mind before he was sent back to the Westerlands."

When Kenna remained silent and avoided his gaze. Lord Royce took a few short steps towards Kenna and held her chin gently up to him, forcing her to look at him.

"Who is the father?"

"I …. Ah …You won't ….. You won't approve …" Kenna struggled to say as cold dread started to rise in her stomach.

Lord Royce seeing the distress Kenna was in at his question guided her to the bed and knelt in front of her as Kenna sat on her bed with one hand resting on her stomach.

"Kenna," Lord Royce started as he took a hold of one of her hands, "I don't want to cause you any harm but I need to know who the father is so I can do my job and protect you. We can say the father is Jamie Lannister. I see no issue with that and I don't care if you strayed from your husband. I care about your well-being and if the father might be a problem down the line."

_He is defiantly going to be a problem,_ Kenna thought.

Kenna gathered her courage and looked directly into the eyes of the person she valued the most and revealed her greatest secret.

"The father is Tywin Lannister."

Lord Royce was visibly rocked by the information but kept ahold of Kenna's hand as if it was his anchor to the world.

It took him nearly a full minute to gather back his wits to form words. Kenna just waited and hoped she still had the kneeling man's trust after what she just admitted.

"Kenna …. did he force you?"

"Not in the way you are thinking." Upon seeing Lord Royce's concerned eyes and the way his body was trembling in rage at the conclusion his mind was reaching Kenna elaborated, "I made a deal with him."

"A deal?" Lord Royce questioned as Kenna started rubbing circles into his hand to calm him down.

"In the Eyrie when I thought you were dead and the Vale had fallen to the armies of the Lannisters and Tyrells all I could think of was how I was going to die without fulfilling my revenge on Lysa and Littlefinger. How they were going to get away with murdering my father and sister. Lord Tywin came to me with a proposition. Marry his son, produce a male heir and he would guarantee Littlefinger and Lysa's deaths. He was going to marry me to his son anyway so I agreed."

"Life for death," Lord Royce muttered.

"Exactly. But then Jamie made it clear he was only interested in his sister and that was fine until Tywin fucking Lannister actually delivered on his word and gave me the chance to execute Lysa and Littlefinger myself. If a man like him could honour his word then I was damn well going to do the same."

Kenna took a deep breath reliving her own memories, "But I couldn't entice Jamie to my bed. I was going to reveal their incest to Tywin, to explain why I couldn't deliver on my end of the bargain. Which I did despite the assassination attempt on his life. He came to the conclusion that he was best place to produce his own heir and I wanted to keep my word so I didn't refuse. I agreed."

"You upheld the deal you made because of your honour," Lord Royce said in an emotional voice. "You really are as high as honour. If I get the chance, I am going to kill him for taking advantage of your honour."

Lord Royce dragged Kenna off the bed as he rose and encircled her with his arms. He held her while she sank into him as if revealing the truth had taken all her energy.

Lord Royce whispered tenderly into Kenna's ear," There is nothing you can do that would make me disappointed in you or turn me against you. Just tell me the truth. I will always be there for you."

The sentiment in Lord Royce's voice chocked Kenna up and caused tears to run down her face, "I know. And I will."

When the hug came to an end Lord Royce wiped the tears gently from Kenna's eyes. "Now what are those bottles for?"

Kenna gave a bubbling laugh, "You miss nothing. I intend to serve justice with them. Want to join me?"

"Always."

* * *

_Half an hour later …_

**The Black Cells, ** _ **Red Keep** _ **, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (of Dragonstone) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Kenna and Lord Royce made their way down the steps of the Black Cells to the second lowest level. Lord Royce held a torch that lit their way. They were not stopped by the numerous Golden Company mercenaries that maned the infamous prison.

The two Vale nobles ducked through a dank archway and passed by the door Kenna knew led to where Margaery and Olenna Tyrell were being held. Kenna didn't imagine the pretty roses where handling their captivity too well.

Tyrion, Cersei and Tommen were all being kept in different cells on the lowest level of the Black Cells. Isolation was sometimes a formidable weapon when trying to wear people down. Kenna suspected Tyrion was grateful he had been separated from his sister but also that the little lion wouldn't enjoying his own company as much as he would think he would.

They reached their destination and Lord Royce held open the door and angled his torch so that Kenna could peak beyond into the shadows.

There sat, in a heap of chains, was the former Grand Maester to Aegon V Targaryen, Jaehaerys II Targaryen, Aerys II Targaryen, Robert Baratheon, Joffrey Baratheon and Tommen Baratheon. The old man's face was covered in grim but the feeble act was gone as he pushed himself to his feet with a vigour not seen in public for near a decade.

"What do you want?" Pycelle said in a downbeaten tone, not sure why Kenna had graced him with her presence.

Kenna grinned at the white-haired man as she clasped her hands behind her back, "I want what I have always wanted. Justice."

Pycelle blinked slowly, "Did you not get your justice when you executed your good-mother and Lord Baelish?"

"Yes, I got _my_ justice, well most of it anyway. But what of justice for Brienne of Tarth and Podrick Payne?" Kenna queried at the now visibly shocked man.

"I don't know what you are talking about," Pycelle responded loudly as if his denial now could rewrite the past.

Kenna rubbed her chin pretending to think, "Mmm must be your aging mind, as Vary's little birds saw you enter Lady Brienne's chambers right before she and her squire died due to poisoning."

"Lord Varys is a traitor he was just trying to spread chaos," Pycelle blustered, "I didn't visit Lady Brienne's chambers. On the Seven, I did not."

"See the problem I have with that statement is that I still trust Vary's word over yours and I don't think you care about the Gods. But not to worry I have come up with a rather elegant solution," Kenna said producing the two bottles from behind her back and looking at them before continuing, "You attended to my father did you not on the night he died?"

"Yes, I did. I am sorry I could not save him," Pycelle said while eyeing the two bottles, suspicion laced his eyes.

"Well you didn't try though, did you?" Kenna said rolling the bottles around in her hands as a hint of danger hung on her words.

"What … what are you insinuating?" he said dragging his eyes up from the bottles to Kenna's face.

"I am saying that my father was poisoned with Tears of Lys and a man of your talents would have been able to work that out," Kenna admonished.

Pycelle started his defence, "It is very hard to identify the symptoms of a victim of tears of Lys and-"

"Really," Kenna said cutting through Pycelle's words, "Qyburn said you would have been easily able to tell the difference between a fever and someone poisoned with Tears of Lys. So Grand Maester Pycelle, why didn't you give my father the antidote? Why did you give him milk of the poppy and leave him to die?"

"I … I," Pycelle stuttered as his mind raced to create a plausible scenario.

"Enough with the bumbling," Kenna roared. "The truth will do."

As Kenna's words echoed around the cell Pycelle straightened himself as if finally accepting he had been caught, "I thought the Queen had poisoned your father and I had no intention of getting in her way."

Kenna shook her head but couldn't fault Pycelle's logic, she too had thought Cersei was the culprit.

"And what poisoned did you use on Brienne and Podrick Payne?"

"Widow's Blood."

"Excellent, Qyburn thought as much. Now I will give you a choice. Choose to either die like my father in withering hallucinations or die like Lady Brienne, with the poison eating you from the inside?"

When Pycelle remained quiet Kenna added, "The third choice is Lord Royce beats you to a bloody pulp and leaves you to die of thirst which is definitely longer than the other two and arguably more painful."

Pycelle opened his palm towards the bottle containing Tears of Lys and Kenna placed the bottle in the old man's hand.

Pycelle tried one last time, "What of all the good I have done. The sick people I have healed and the advice I have given. Am I not more use alive than dead?"

Lord Royce took a step towards the now shaking former Grand Maester making his answer known and Kenna outright laughed in the weasels face before cutting his argument for mercy into tatters, "What of all the people you condemned to death when you convinced the Mad King to open the gates of King's Landing to Tywin Lannister or all the people you have killed on the orders of Cersei Lannister. Tell me was Robert's hunting accident simply that or did you have a hand in that death too?"

"I saved your life," he shrieked as Lord Royce closed in on him.

Both Kenna and Lord Royce looked at him questioningly.

Pycelle directed his worried countenance at Lord Royce, "The day of the trial by combat when you fought Ser Meryn Trant, I laced his water with milk of the poppy. To make it easier for you to win."

Kenna and Lord Royce exchange disbelieving glances as both threw their minds back to that nearly tragic day.

"You don't do something like that on your own. Who gave you the order?" Kenna asked.

"Lord Tywin," Pycelle shot out quickly like his life depended on it.

Kenna nodded slightly at this news, _so the Old Lion didn't want his son to die._

"I thank you for your part in hindering Ser Meryn Trant but you still let my father die and murdered Lady Brienne and Podrick Payne so I am afraid I will have to insist on you drinking that," Kenna said pointing to the bottle resting in Pycelle's hand.

Pycelle still hesitated. Or maybe he was praying it was hard to tell in the badly lit cell.

"I am sure Lord Royce can help you if you can't manage it on your own," Kenna said darkly.

Pycelle finally found his courage and quickly brought the bottle to his lips. Kenna watched as he gulped down the liquid. He dropped the bottle to the floor. The sound of glass smashing against stone could be heard a second later and Pycelle slid to the floor as he felt the deadly liquid make its way down his throat.

The soon to be dead man looked no different after a few seconds and Lord Royce placed a hand on Kenna's arm, "You don't have to see this."

"I do though," Kenna said while facing the now sweating man, "I need to see what my father's final moments were like. He had no one but this sorry excuse for a man in his last moments."

Lord Royce nodded his understanding and retreated to stand in the doorway allowing Kenna some privacy with Pycelle and the memory of her father.

"How does it feel to be dying?" Kenna asked softly as she let her emotions shine through her constructed mental amour now that the outcome of this meeting was decided.

"Terrifying," Pycelle answered honestly.

"You are a man that has encountered death before. You know how it looks, how it smells, how it ends."

"Yes, but I have never felt it," Pycelle ground out as his breathing quickened.

"Tell me, how did my father's death look?" Kenna said as her mind struggled with the image of her father's painful end.

"Very much like mine will," Pycelle said as he lifted his head up, "But that is why you are here, hovering over me like the Stranger. You want to know how it all ended for your father. Well the truth my Lady is, he simply faded into the night, murmuring about this and that."

"Murmuring about what exactly," Kenna asked sharply wanting to know every detail of her father's passing.

"He kept muttering 'The seed is strong, Stannis will come, they should have stayed together' and towards the end he kept saying over and over that he was sorry."

The first two batches of words Kenna easily attributed to the discovery of the parentage of Cersei's children but the last one hit her hard. _Father blamed himself for what happened to Alyssa, for sending her away in my place._

That knowledge clawed at her neck like a tightening noose.

_My father's final thoughts were of how he had failed my sister. _After a beat Kenna harrowingly realised, _My final thoughts will probably be the same_.

Kenna settled herself down on the cold stone floor, across from Pycelle, "I wonder what you will murmur about."

* * *

_Two weeks after Stannis captures King's Landing _

**Winterfell, Seat of power of House Stark in the North, Capital of the Kingdom of the North**

* * *

Arya was perched on the rooftop of the Great Keep of Winterfell by an open window to her late father's solar listening to Lord Karstark complain about how Robb had taken the Karhold.

"Robb Stark and his Wildling army have captured Karhold. You know they will take the Dreadfort next."

"Let them," came Ramsey's short reply. He was clearly growing tired of the Karstark's presence. "Each battle he enters weakens him for the only one that matters. Robb Stark can have Last Hearth, Karhold and the Dreadfort but as long as I have Winterfell, I have the North."

_Robb is heading for the Dreadfort next,_ Arya picked up.

Arya shifted from her perched position to look down into the courtyard of Winterfell and watch as the patrolling Bolton guards gingerly wandered around the open area, halfheartedly waving their torches around the shadowy structures of Winterfell.

Arya saw her target through the thick darkness.

The Hound sat in his cage, draped in a blanket of shadows. His cell backed onto the southern wall of Winterfell. Between her and the Hound were a few drowsy guards. They would be no problem for Arya. And indeed, they were no problem as she climbed down from the rooftop, landing cat like on the floor and slipping past them effortlessly jumping from one shadow to another. If she had wanted to, she could have left a bloody trial in her wake but the objective was to remain anonymous and slink into the black night.

She reached the Hound's cage but he didn't move or speak. His eyes were closed. Arya reached out but before she could touch him, the Hound came alive and grabbed Arya's arm yanking her towards the bars of the cage so she slammed painfully into the metal bars of the Hound's cage.

It took all of Arya's self-taught control not to yelp out in pain and alert the guards to her presence.

The Hounds eyes flashed in recognition and he immediately released her. Arya looked quickly behind her but the guards were still too far away to see her without the help of a torch and no one had heard her body colliding with the bars.

Arya gave the Hound a glare of profound annoyance before unlocking his cage quickly. The Hound raised an eyebrow when the lock clicked and the door was released.

"It wasn't hard to get the key," Arya whispered.

Arya suddenly took a step back as she saw another form move at the back of the cage.

One of Ramsey's hounds, was Arya's first thought but the form morphed into a human from the darkness. Arya recognized that form.

Yara Greyjoy stretched as she stepped past the Hound quickly taking in the situation and exiting the cage carefully watching behind Arya's back.

The Hound was about to open his mouth when Arya placed a finger to her mouth, "We can talk later when we are out of here."

"I couldn't agree more," Yara murmured as she kept her gaze on the patrolling Bolton guards.

The Hound in answer closed the cell door and followed the two woman who plotted a path to the southern gate of Winterfell.

Arya's knowledge of Winterfell and the blackness of night allowed the three escapees a cover of darkness to maneuver in and they avoided any possible confrontation with ease.

Only half a dozen guards were standing in the vicinity of the gate. The Hound eyed them like a wolf would a herd of sheep.

Before his mind could begin to visualize what, he intended to do, two pairs of hands dragged him around a corner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RIP
> 
> Grand Maester Pycelle (forced to drink Tears of Lys by Kenna and Lord Royce in retaliation for the murders of Brienne and Pod as well as his refusal to save Jon Arryn when he had the chance)
> 
> Well this guy had been around for a long time! He served six Kings but never the one he thought should wear the crown. He survived for eighty-four years …. EIGHTY-FOUR YEARS! In the universe of Game of Thrones. But I couldn't let him get away with Brienne and Pods' murders and I thought his death would be a nice reminder/call back to Kenna's original motives for her involvement in the War of the Five Kings and a Queen. Anyway, take a bow Pycelle, you played the game well if not spectacularly.


	43. The Innocence of Children

* * *

_A few seconds later ….._

**Winterfell, Seat of power of House Stark in the North, Capital of the Kingdom of the North**

* * *

Arya and Yara silently wrestled the Hound back around the corner that they had walked past. Once the Hound realised who had hands on him he reigned in the punch he had been aiming at Yara's face and gruffly shoved the two ladies off his person.

Arya quickly pointed around the corner to where Ramsey and a group of Bolton men now stood surrounding a beaten up Edmure. Arya's heartbeat quickened; she had thought her Uncle had perished when Winterfell had been taken.

The Bolton men started to tie the grubby Riverlord to a wooden cross that was placed prominently in the middle of the courtyard.

"Say it again," Ramsey shouted at the bound Edmure before aiming a sharp punch at his face.

Edmure spat out some blood and a tooth before facing Ramsey again, "You are nothing more than a _bastard_ and my nephew will-"

Another punch landed cutting through Edmure's future retort.

Ramsey paced angrily in front of the now fully bound Riverlord as his men backed off.

"I am the Lord of Winterfell and Warden in the North. ME!" Ramsey shouted at Edmure with bloodlust in his eyes then tossed over his shoulder, "Bring me his wife and child."

Yara tapped the Hound and Arya on the shoulders and indicated that they needed to move to higher ground. The trio sneaked their way up onto the southern wall of the Winterfell and by the time they had repositioned Edmure's Frey wife had been dragged out into the cold courtyard.

In her hands was a screaming babe.

_Edmure's newborn son,_ Arya realised. Her cousin.

Ramsey took ahold of the newborn and playfully swung him around, "He has your eyes my Lord …. Give him to my hounds."

Roslind and Edmure Tully both gave almighty scream of protest but the ropes held Edmure back and so did Ramsey's men with Roslind.

"Please .. no," Roslind begged as she fell to her knees.

Ramsey made a cooing noise to the babe then to Roslind, "Tell me little Frey would you cut your husband if I would let your babe live?"

Roslind looked up at the pale monster that stood before her in complete shock at what Ramsey was suggesting. Her mouth just hung wide open with no sound coming out.

Ramsey passed the infant to one of his men and threw a knife onto the ground by the silent woman before pointing towards Edmure who still struggled against his bonds on the wooden cross.

"I said, would you flay your husband so that your child might live?" Ramsey said as he crouched down in front of Roslind.

Roslind answered by grabbing the knife and making a lunge for Ramsey but the Bolton bastard had anticipated this move and easily grabbed her wrist twisting her body as they both rose so that her back was against his chest as they faced Edmure.

In the next breath Ramsey manhandled Roslind's knife wielding hand so that it cut slowly across her own throat. They were so close to Edmure that some flecks of his wife's blood landed on his stricken face.

Ramsey dropped the dying woman from his grasp and her blood started to mingle with the muddy floor of the courtyard.

"Guess she didn't have the strength to save her babe," Ramsey closed the distance between Edmure and himself before whispering secretly into his ear, "But between you and me if she had flayed you I would have simply given her a head start before my hounds tracked her down and ripped her apart. And your babe … well he was always going to end up as a little treat for my hounds."

Edmure strained against his restraints but he was as powerless to intervene now as he had when his wife's throat had been torn apart in front of him a few seconds earlier so he simply closed his eyes and mourned for the family and life he could have had.

This is how it ends for the Tully line Edmure realised. He was about to be the last Tully male. His name would die this day but his blood lived on in his nephews and nieces and he begged the gods that his blood would avenge him, that the monster smiling sweetly at him would know pain before he too died a horrible death.

Ramsey turned to the man holding the heir to Riverrun and flicked his hand. All eyes followed the man as he placed the babe through the bars of the cell holding Ramsey's personal hounds.

After a few seconds the scrapping of paws on the ground could be heard and the cries of the infant become stronger and stronger until they were overtaken by snarling and barking.

Then after a minute there was only sickening silence.

No one looked back towards the cage. Everyone knew what they would see or _wouldn't see now._

Edmure opened his eyes to Ramsey crouching over Roslind's body and wiping the bloody knife on his dead wife's clothes.

Ramsey looked up at Edmure with a devilish grin on his pale face as he fiddled with the now clean knife in his hands, "Tell me my Lord do you know how the Bolton's got their sigil?"

* * *

The Hound could feel Arya tensing to launch an attack at the new Lord of Winterfell as Edmure's cries of pain filled the courtyard and took all the attention of those gathered in the cold night.

He clapped a hand on Arya's collar while watching Ramsey slowly work his blade under Edmure's skin, "This is the perfect opportunity _to leave_."

"He is right all the guards are watching the flaying, the walls are unguarded. We need to move now," Yara seconded as she peaked down into the courtyard noting how all the Bolton guards were looking inwards towards the spectacle of Edmure's flaying and not outwards into the wilderness of the North.

Arya nodded but kept silent as their party moved in the darkness. Arya concentrated on reaching a totally isolated part of the wall and blocking out her Uncle's screams and pleading behind her. If she was going to survive and reach Robb, she needed to remain calm and focused.

She recounted her list in her head. Ramsey Snow had just supplanted Cersei as her number one target and she promised herself that when he died it would be her hand that dealt the final blow.

Yara looked over the outer wall, "It is a long drop but there is plenty of snow cover so we should make it."

"Good," the Hound grunted as he manhandled Yara over the wall.

"What the fuck," Yara managed to ground out before she plummeted over the wall.

"Was that necessary?" Arya asked slightly annoyed at the Hound's antics.

"No but it felt good." Upon seeing Arya's irritated face he elaborated, "What? We had been locked in a cage together for who knows how long, she is lucky I didn't break her neck while we were still caged. Do you need help getting over the wall too?"

Arya rolled her eyes and gracefully hopped up onto the wall before jumping off into the pile of snow below.

Once Arya had landed, she brushed the snow off her clothes as Yara watched the Hound fall from the sky and heavily land in the snow.

"Do that again and you won't be waking up from your next sleep," Yara aimed at the Hound once he had regained his footing.

"I don't imagine there will be another opportunity to throw you over a wall anytime soon," the Hound replied gruffly, walking past the red-faced woman before turning to Arya, "Where to?"

Arya was about to answer before Yara cut across her, "You take orders from the Stark girl now?"

"I am a sworn sword to Robb Stark and I am betting the Stark girl knows where he is. You don't have to come with us," the Hound pointed out widening his stance.

"You are right I don't but I need to repay you for capturing me and killing my men," Yara growled at the rugged sworn sword as a dangerous gleam entered her eyes.

Arya voice snapped them out of their ensuing violent thoughts, "By releasing you from the cage I think I have repaid that debt. And by all means you are free to go your own path if you wish to return to the Iron Islands."

Yara scoffed at Arya, "Ramsey's hounds would catch up to me before I could make the coast and I would only prove a distraction from you two, which is probably what you want."

Arya shrugged as she stood in the shadow of Winterfell's walls, "We need to move if any of us are going to survive."

"Fine," Yara said sharply, "where are we going."

"Just follow me," Arya said as she burst into a measured jog not wanting to waste anymore time.

The Hound shot Yara a warning look before joining the young Stark.

Yara sighed into the night's air as she started to catch up with her odd travelling companions but if she was going to see the Iron Islands again, she needed to stay alive and her best chance at survival, currently, was to stick with her fellow escapees.

* * *

_Next day …._

**Maze in the Gardens, Red Keep, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (of Dragonstone) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Davos observed from the balcony as Shireen quickly ran through the maze trying to stifle her giggles as Artys and Robin chased after her with wooden swords and childish enthusiasm.

He watched, slightly proud as the little doe continued to avoid the two boys with ease, as she navigated the maze to be the first to reach its center. Awaiting in the middle was Kenna Lannister who sat by a gushing fountain reading a leather-bound book.

When Kenna saw Shireen approach, she laid the book down beside her on the rim of the fountain and extravagantly bowed before Shireen.

"My Princess, since you are the first of your fellow adventurers to reach the center of the maze, I grant you one wish."

Shireen started to think on her wish as Artys and Robin finally caught up to the Princess and began to act out a trial by combat behind her with their wooden swords in the little grassy area surrounding the flowing fountain.

Kenna smiled as she watched the two boys play as she waited on the Princesses decision.

Shireen took a step toward Kenna completely ignoring the raging fight going on behind her, "I think I would like you to tell me a story."

"A story," Kenna mused, "mmmm how about the story of Dunk and Egg?"

"I haven't heard that one," Shireen said excitedly as she sat on the grass in front of Kenna.

"Neither have I," Artys said as Robin wacked him on the arm with his wooden sword and proceeded to claim victory by jumping around.

It seemed that having other children to play with was really benefiting sweet Robin's health and it was nice to see a childhood friendship blossom between the three noble children.

"Come here you two and sit by the Princess. It is time for a little story," Kenna called to the young boys.

Artys and Robin both relinquished their toy weapons to the grassy ground and sat either side of Shireen, waiting eagerly for Kenna to start.

Once Kenna was sure of their attention she sat back on the rim of the fountain and began the tale, "There once was a hedge knight and his squire …."

* * *

"It is hard to believe it is the same woman isn't it?" Stannis's voice came from Davos's right, slightly startling him.

"I beg your pardon, your Grace?" Davos said while giving his King a little bow.

"It is hard to believe that the woman currently retelling the tales of Dunk and Egg to my daughter is the same one that stood in _my_ Throne room two weeks ago with bloody hands," Stannis clarified. "Do you think that Lord Robin even knows that the woman currently reading to him is the same woman that killed his mother?

"I suppose not your Grace but I have found that children soften even the hardest of hearts," Davos replied returning his gaze to the three enraptured children who still sat before Kenna currently enthralled by what she was describing and acting out.

"Melisandre thinks that she will become a problem," Stannis stated quietly as he continued to watch Kenna carefully, as if looking for signs of deceit.

"Melisandre isn't always right," Davos noted darkly.

"She had a vision where a falcon landed on the back of a lion as it stalked towards a lone stag," Stannis said ignoring Davos's comment.

"So?" Davos said not wanting to take anything that Melisandre said seriously.

"She seems to think that Lady Kenna will betray me and as my Hand I want you to make sure we are ready for such an eventuality," Stannis said as he stared at Kenna who was enthusiastically waving her arms around to emphasis a point in her story.

"What do you want to do?" Davos asked.

Before replying Stannis turned to Davos, "Kenna Lannister wants something I am not prepared to give but I may be willing to share it. I am no fool, I know she wants an independent Vale and to be its Queen. She feels that she is owed that for her help on getting me the Iron Throne but _I am_ the King of the Seven Kingdoms and I will remain the King of the Seven Kingdoms, not the six Kingdoms or the five Kingdoms."

"You are going to propose marriage to Lady Kenna?" Davos put together, "I was under the impression she was already married to Jamie Lannister."

"Marriages can be annulled," Stannis simply stated with indifference. "I will give her my proposal in the next Small Council meeting."

"What do you want me to do?" Davos questioned, still not comfortable with making moves against the Arryn forces that had saved Stannis's campaign for the Iron Throne and he doubted Kenna would want to marry again, even to a King.

"I want you to discreetly capture and board the _Golden Wind_. If Lady Kenna doesn't agree to my proposal, I want to have some leverage over her and secure the loyalty of the Golden Company."

Davos nodded, "The _Golden Wind_ contains all the gold from Casterly Rock?"

"Yes," Stannis confirmed, "and it is currently floating on the high waves just beyond Blackwater Bay with the rest of the fleet we came to King's Landing with."

"There may be Arryn causalities," Davos warned, thinking through how in reality the ship was going to be taken.

"Fine, just as long as word does not reach back to the mainland about who really commands that ship," Stannis made clear.

Stannis didn't want Lady Kenna to have full knowledge of all the facts if it came to a confrontation. He knew there were two forces occupying King's Landing and he needed to make sure he could command Kenna's forces and loyalty. Whether that be as a husband or as her King, Stannis did not know. What he did know was that Kenna would be his subject regardless and he would rule the Seven Kingdoms as was his right.

"Yes, your Grace," Davos bowed and set about mustering his most capable and loyal crew.

The undertaking of capturing a ship discreetly was not an easy task. They would need to board the ship under the cover of darkness, subdue the _Golden Wind's_ crew and impersonate the Arryn crew long enough so they could sail the _Golden Wind_ away from the other Arryn ships and surround it with other ships loyal to Stannis. Such an endeavor would take a few days and his absence would be noted, he was sure, but by the time anyone figured out what he had done he supposed it wouldn't matter. The ship and its precious cargo would be in Baratheon hands and therefore so would the Golden Company be under Stannis's command.

Davos shook his head as he sought out his men, Lady Kenna was not going to be pleased when it became known that the _Golden Wind_ was in Baratheon hands. Davos doubted the Baratheon Arryn alliance would survive such an act of aggression or that Lady Kenna would stand for it. But Davos did what his King bid him, no matter the path it took him down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RIP
> 
> Roslin Frey (Killed by Ramsey in front of Edmure after she had attempted to stab Ramsey)
> 
> She showed a little bit of grit at the end by trying to kill Ramsey instead of flaying her husband alive for her newborn child. I didn't think the character really had it in her to flay Edmure and there was no way Ramsey was actually going to let the Tully baby live :(
> 
> Newborn Tully boy (Fed to Ramsey's starved hounds in front of Edmure as a form of mental torture)
> 
> Ramsey's hounds were always going to chomp down on some baby meat it seems just in this story it is Roslind's not Walda's … (*realises what I wrote* … um … I am not a monster I swear)
> 
> Edmure Tully (Flayed to death by Ramsey in anger due to him calling him a bastard)
> 
> I am sure a lot of people had forgotten about Edmure being in Winterfell, he is so easy to forget about but Ramsey didn't forget him ;P At least he can't launch a cringy bid to be the King of the Seven Kingdoms now …..


	44. Commanding the Fury

* * *

_Next morning …._

**The Black Cells, Red Keep, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (of Dragonstone) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Tyrion lay flat on his back on the bench in his cell when two Golden Company mercenaries opened the door to the room containing his cell to reveal Lady Kenna who stepped through the threshold as the door was closed behind her.

"You know I thought we were friends," Tyrion said through the bars of his cell as he watched Kenna step further into the room from his horizontal position. She settled on the cold floor opposite him a few feet back from the bars with her legs crossed. It seemed that the dirt didn't bother her and she didn't want to stand for their conversation.

Tyrion saw the corners of Kenna's mouth curl up at his comment as her hands rested on her knees.

It seems they were always balancing on the threshold of friendship. When they were together the words flowed and there was a genuine connection between them but no matter how hard they tried to ignore it, the horrible truth was that they were, and always had been, on opposite sides with neither quite sure how far the other was willing to go to win the war.

"We are. Why do you think you aren't in a cell with Cersei right now," Kenna half-joked.

"A small mercy to not have to endure my sister's company as I wait for my head to be detached from the rested of my body," Tyrion said sarcastically in a dejected tone.

"Don't get all depressing on me Tyrion. I came here so I could get away from the doom and gloom."

"You came to the _Black Cells_ so you could get away from the doom and gloom …" Tyrion said slowly.

"Point taken," Kenna conceded good-naturedly as she tried to rub some warmth back into her legs. "But have you met Stannis? Anyway, I came here for your advice not to discuss my happiness."

"I take it my father is nearly here?" Tyrion concluded knowing that there was only one opponent the _Bloody Falcon_ would seek out advice to defeat.

Kenna gave a tense short nod as all the playfulness in her seemed to evaporate at the mention of his father.

"And Stannis is rousing his men for another hard-fought battle?" Tyrion predicted.

Kenna's fingers started to dance on her knees, "A battle I think can be avoided."

"Oh?"

"We have all the hostages and enough men to make taking King's Landing an undesirable option. Only a stubborn fool would pursue a battle under these circumstances but apparently one man's fool is another's King."

"I can tell that you are worried. If it makes you feel any better, I am sure that if you threaten to kill Cersei and Tommen if my father makes an advance on the walls of King's Landing he wouldn't attack. There is no point taking King's Landing if your claimant to the Iron Throne is killed before you even scale the walls."

"You don't include yourself?"

"My father doesn't put much value on my life," Tyrion said bitterly.

"He went to war to get you back," Kenna pointed out.

"He went to war for the _family honour_, not me," Tyrion countered.

"Thank you for confirming my thinking but it wasn't your father I was particularly worried about," Kenna said and added in her mind, _not yet anyway, _as she scanned the dim walls of Tyrion's cell and avoided Tyrion's piercing gaze.

Tyrion knew many of Kenna's secrets but she wasn't about to reveal her pregnancy to him or how she intended to handle her situation in King's Landing.

"Don't tell me you tremble at the thought of Mace Tyrell laying siege to King's Landing because I am sure your current King can tell you; he possesses no skill in that military disciple."

Kenna's smile reached her eyes and her laugh bounced around the underground cell as Tyrion's remark managed to spark a bit of her playfulness back out of her.

_She isn't worried about my father or Mace Tyrell, Loras Tyrell? No. Mmmm. Ah,_ Tyrion's mind buzzed as he found the answer.

"You are worried about Stannis," Tyrion stated confidently.

"Maybe," Kenna reluctantly confirmed.

"You are worried he is going to force my father into a battle that really doesn't benefit anyone," Tyrion said as he slinked off the bench he had been laying on to curl his hands around the bars of his cell as the conversation suddenly became very interesting to him.

"Yes," Kenna agreed watching the dwarf's movements. "If Stannis, say, executes you, Cersei and Tommen, your father will have no other option but to siege the walls of King's Landing in the name of his dead _family's honour_ until either himself or Stannis is dead. Further bloodshed and chaotic war aren't ideal outcomes or what the Seven Kingdoms' needs."

Tyrion picking up on Kenna's attitude asked, "And what does the Seven Kingdom's need? A new Queen?"

Kenna stifled the chuckle in her throat at Tyrion's words, "You overestimate my ambitions. Remember little lion my last name may be Lannister but I will always be an Arryn."

"So, you are just after the Weirwood Throne not the Iron Throne?"

"I have no interest in ruling over the Seven Kingdoms. I want to rule over _my_ people, look after _their_ wellbeing and ensure a prosperous future for _them_. I love the Vale and all those that dwell in it. My heart doesn't have the ability to care for another Kingdom or another people."

"Why are you still in King's Landing then? Why didn't you trot your army to the Eyrie in the wake of Stannis's triumph in becoming the King of the Seven?" Tyrion inquired.

"There is no point in taking something that you can't hold onto."

Tyrion stood there confused looking through the bars at Kenna.

The Lannister and Tyrell's forces had taken the Eyrie before but they had a traitor within the walls of the Eyrie to ensure they could march through open gates. Without that Tyrion doubted a force of a hundred thousand or two hundred thousand would be able to take the Eyrie.

_Is she worried Stannis won't give her the Vale? He would have no power to take it back. Ah …. She isn't worried about men taking the Eyrie but dragons._

Tyrion's hands tightened around the metals bars as his mind went to work, "You think that the Targaryen girl will cross the narrow sea and demand fealty like Aegon the Conqueror."

"She has three dragons and history is on her side. I have no desire for a dragon to grace the skies of the Vale again or for the Vale to bow down before a Targaryen for a second time."

"Don't you think it prudent to focus on the more immediate threat instead of a faraway curiosity."

"She is neither that far away or merely a curiosity but you are right. I need to deal with your father and the Tyrells." _And Stannis,_ Kenna added in her mind.

"Beware then, as there is always a price to be paid when dealing with my father as you well know," Tyrion said cautiously then quickly changed the subject, not wanting to linger on the subject of his father with the woman in front of him. "How is Sansa?"

"Safe," Kenna hesitated for a moment, "She saved my life you know … and your sister's."

"That sounds like her," Tyrion said as he rested his forehead against the bars trapping him. "She has a good heart. Who did she save your and my sister's life from?"

"Ser Ilyn Payne," Kenna hesitated for a second, "and me."

Tyrion returned his mind to when he had been escorted to the Black Cells and shoved into his current cell, he had caught a glimpse of his sister's face in the process, "You are the one that cut her, aren't you? I am surprised with your reputation you didn't finish the job."

Kenna let out a deep sigh, "Your wife is one of the few people I am willing to rein in my … rage for."

"Many in the Kingdom would have rejoiced if your restraint had failed you. And I would have been one of them."

Kenna pushed herself up of the stone-cold floor and brushed herself down.

"What will happen now?" Tyrion asked in a tired voice that pulled at Kenna's heart. _He doesn't deserve to be lumped in with the rest of his family but life is rarely fair I suppose._

"I am not sure," Kenna said quietly, "The future depends on the decision of a very stubborn man." _And my reaction to it._

Tyrion nodded not quite sure if she was referring to his father or to Stannis.

Kenna closed the space between them and rested her hands on the bars of the cell above Tyrion and looked down at the imprisoned Lord.

"Tell me Tyrion, if your father marched into the Throne room today and demanded my head would you stop him?"

"I wouldn't be able to," Tyrion replied honestly. "But I wouldn't need to. My father isn't in the habit of killing people who still owe him a debt. And you my Lady owe him a very valuable debt in his eyes."

Kenna paused thoughtfully at Tyrion's words before she turned and walked towards the door of the small room leaving Tyrion to wonder why she had asked the question.

Kenna threw over her shoulder at the downcast Lord as she pushed through the door, "Remember my friend, most of us are imprisoned by something and the worst prisons are not constructed of wood and stone."

Tyrion grunted as his own words of reassurance were repeated back to him. He appreciated someone who actually listened to what he said but he still preferred being in a metaphorical prison than an actual one.

* * *

_Next day in the afternoon…._

**Secluded balcony spot facing southwards, Red Keep, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (of Dragonstone) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Kenna leaned on the balcony as she cast her eyes over the sprawling city. She felt the memory of watching Tywin Lannister do the same thing as she had quietly kept playing cyvasse behind him all those years ago.

She would never have thought she would be carrying the man's child now.

Kenna moved one hand to rest on her stomach protectively as she looked beyond King's Landing's walls to the King's Woods in the distance. She knew that the Lannister and Tyrell armies were most likely marching under the great trees at this very moment and would be within sight of King's Landing within days. There was no doubt they were coming.

That _he_ was coming.

A gentle hand on her shoulder shocked her out of her own thoughts and another steadied her. Kenna looked up into sky blue eyes and felt the tension that had been building in her body at the impending armies marching towards King's Landing seep out of her.

"Yohn," Kenna greeted warmly.

The large Lord released Kenna's shoulders with a deep smile and they both settled on the balcony railing to look out on the sun-drenched buildings and streets of the capital.

"You have a plan?" Lord Royce asked as his eyes focused on the unmoving greenery of the King's Woods beyond the walls of King's Landing.

"Of course," Kenna replied giving Lord Royce a little nudge with her shoulder.

"The last time_ we_ took a city you didn't," he pointed out playfully nudging her back.

"Sadly, I am not the same person as the one who took Casterly Rock," Kenna said ruefully.

"No, you have grown," Lord Royce said with pride then looked down to his hands, "Stannis has asked me to prepare our men for a siege."

"A wise move when two strong hosts are marching your way," Kenna acknowledged

"He sees a siege as inevitable," the Vale Lord clarified.

"It is wonderful how our King sees the world; everything is right or wrong. There are always only two paths available in his view," Kenna glowered as she shook her head.

"What are you going to do?"

"Follow whatever the best path is for the Vale," Kenna said with determination.

Lord Royce nodded as he covered one of Kenna's hands with his own on the balcony railing, "Please don't run headlong into danger, you don't just have yourself to consider now."

"I have never just had myself to consider but I understand Yohn. I am well aware of the … extra responsibility I now have. But my nature is my nature and I won't stop doing what I think is right for the people of the Vale just because I am pregnant."

Lord Royce let out a puff of frustration as if he had been hoping to curb Kenna's nature but knew that his effort would be futile.

"It is nearly time for the Small Council meeting," Lord Royce presented his arm and whispered, "Allow me to escort you _your Grace_."

Kenna grinned but lightly batted the old Lord's arm before taking it. He always knew what to say to lighten her mood.

There was still a lot of work to be done before Kenna could sit comfortably on the Weirwood Throne and call herself a Queen.

* * *

_That evening …_

**Small Council chamber, Red Keep, King's Landing, ** **Seat of power of House Baratheon (of Dragonstone) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

"Is Ser Davos not attending?" Kenna asked as Lord Royce and herself glided into the Small Council chamber to be greeted by Lord Grafton, Melisandre and Stannis.

"I am afraid Ser Davos has been stricken down with illness," came Stannis's no-nonsense voice.

"I wish him a speedy recovery then," Kenna replied quickly hiding her suspicions as she took her seat beside Lord Grafton, "A King always needs his Hand."

"Much like the Small Council needs a Grand Maester," Stannis replied sharply not taking his eyes off Kenna.

"There are many positions still to be filled but I have a suggestion on who could replace Pycelle," Kenna said ignoring Stannis's ill-disguised anger.

"Did you have that suggestion ready before or after you killed Pycelle?" Stannis shot across the table as a thick and taut atmosphere descended among the table.

Both Lord Grafton and Lord Royce sent Stannis hard stares but remained silent knowing Kenna could handle the brunt of Stannis's obvious fury alone.

Kenna leaned forward on the table and gave Stannis a sweet smile, holding in her own frustrations with the King's gruff manner with forced effort, "I didn't kill Pycelle. He committed suicide."

_Not strictly a lie_, Kenna reassured herself.

"How much encouragement did you give him?" Stannis pushed like a dog with a bone.

Kenna leaned back and simply smiled at the man that sat at the head of the table, not denying she had helped Pycelle come to the _decision_ to take his own life.

"I didn't give you an order to execute Pycelle," Stannis ground out with a murderous look on his face, "You know what Robb Stark did when Lord Karstark executed a prisoner against his orders? He chopped his head off."

"And lost half his army. Look where that action has gotten the young wolf," Kenna replied with simmering rage in her words aware what Stannis had been implying.

Kenna didn't react well to threats but for the sake of the alliance between their two houses Kenna submerged her firery ire towards Stannis.

Stannis simply stared back in silence. It would have been unnerving to Kenna if she hadn't had plenty of experience in withstanding such glares from Lord Tywin over the past few years.

Kenna stilled the raging storm in her mind as she tried to defuse the situation, "Surely there are more pressing matters to address than the death of some old goat. The North is in disarray; we have a hostile force of at roughly eighty-thousand men marching on us as we speak; and the Targaryen girl has three dragons, and army of unsullied at her command and two experienced Westerosi knights to advise her."

Kenna clasped her hands together on the table, "You can't solve all these problems alone so I suggest with respect you stop pushing your only ally away."

The next words out of Stannis's mouth shocked everyone in the room, even Melisandre.

"You are right."

"I .. I am sorry your Grace?" Kenna muttered not really believing what she had just heard.

"You are all dismissed, except Lady Kenna," Stannis commanded with a calm demeanor.

Lord Royce and Lord Grafton gave Kenna concerned looks but she waved them on. Melisandre too rounded the table and left the chamber without a word.

* * *

"Sorry?" Kenna spluttered not believing what she had just heard.

"I said, marry me," Stannis said bluntly repeating himself.

Kenna sat at the Small Council table in partial shock. She had never envisaged Stannis asking this of her.

"I am married," Kenna managed to respond.

"Your marriage to the Kingslayer can be annulled."

Kenna resisted moving her hand to cover her midriff, _No it can't_.

"It was a true marriage, your Grace," Kenna lied.

"When Jamie Lannister falls in battle will you marry me then?" Stannis reconsidered as if they were haggling at a market place.

"If Jamie Lannister falls in battle I will consider a marriage to you but as long as my husband is alive by the grace of the Gods I cannot marry again," Kenna stated clearly.

Stannis seemed to accept Kenna's stance, "When the Lannister forces attack King's Landing, I will make sure your husband falls then."

"You already have my men at your disposal. A marriage is not necessary to secure my resource," Kenna reiterated avoiding the word loyalty.

Stannis didn't reply so Kenna rose from her chair and bowed before retreating to the door.

"Lady Kenna," Stannis called as her hand was about to turn the handle, "If you deviate from my orders or act against my will again you will share the same fate as Lord Karstark."

Kenna didn't acknowledge the remark as she escaped the chamber.

Only Stannis could think it was a good idea to propose marriage twinned with the threat of a beheading.

Kenna charged down the corridors of the Red Keep to her chambers where she knew Lord Grafton and Lord Royce would be waiting.

Kenna had no intention of marrying Stannis Baratheon under any circumstances but she had never thought it possible that she would have been married to a Frey or the Kingslayer either. As soon as it become common knowledge that she was pregnant Kenna was sure Stannis wouldn't want to marry her, who would want to marry a person carrying another man's child?

* * *

A few days later_ …_

**Outer Walls of King's Landing, King's Landing, ** **Seat of power of House Baratheon (of Dragonstone) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Kenna watched with attentiveness as the Lannister and Tyrell armies set up their camps just out of range of the archers on King's Landing's walls. Her eyes shifted to the sky to see Balerion circling above her. He was nearly getting as bad a Lord Royce. Both her falcon and mentor never seemed to leave her alone, it was a good thing that she enjoyed both their company and she would be lying to herself if she didn't admit their company instilled a sense of safety in her.

Ser Davos wandered up to her, "A lot of men down there."

"Yes, there are. Have you recovered from your illness?" Kenna enquired behind a veil of politeness.

"Yes, thank you," the Onion Knight lied uncomfortably.

Kenna noted his discomfort, _He is hiding something_. "Stannis wants to fight all of them till they or us are dead. But what do you want Lord Hand?"

Davos looked to the two large army camps in front of him, "I want Stannis to rule and be the just King I know he can be."

Kenna nodded eyeing Davos's deformed hand, "He still took your knuckles despite you saving him at Storm End's."

"Yes, because I was a smuggler and that is the punishment for smuggling."

"You admire him for it, don't you?"

"There aren't many just men left," Davos said in a somber voice and Kenna agreed with that sentiment.

"But what of your reward? _What of my reward?_ You saved Storm's End." _I saved his bid for the Iron Throne._

"Stannis gave my son .. the opportunity to better himself and made me Hand of the King."

Kenna noticed the pause and remembered Stannis's words at their first Small Council meeting, "You lost your son at Blackwater Bay?"

_You lost him to Stannis's war,_ Kenna surmised in her head as Davos gave a curt nod to Kenna's question.

Kenna turned to the new Lord Hand and ensured she had his full attention before she spoke her mind, "If you want Stannis to remain on the Iron Throne to bring justice to the Seven Kingdoms he needs to compromise. Dissuade him from executing any prisoners before we have parlayed with the Lannisters and Tyrells."

"King Stannis will not allow Cersei or Tyrion to be exchanged. Their fates are sealed in his eyes," Davos gently said, "Tommen will either stay as a hostage or be sent to the Wall so he cannot claim the Throne in the future. The Tyrells' fate maybe negotiable with some well-placed words."

"What harm is there in delaying their executions so we might hear what Mace Tyrell and Tywin Lannister have to say before the Seven Hells descends on King's Landing?" Kenna implored, willing Davos to see her logic.

Davos let out a deep sigh, "I agree my Lady but as you well know it isn't my decision."

"No but it is your duty to save Stannis from himself," Kenna stated boldly, gambling that Davos would understand her point of view. "Talk to him Ser Davos, make him see sense before he falls victim to the same folly as Robert."

"And what was that my Lady," Davos asked as Kenna started to back away from him towards the Red Keep.

"Thinking that winning and ruling is the same thing," Kenna said as she turned her back on Davos to walk away.

* * *

_Same time …_

* * *

Tywin stared hard at the walls of King's Landing from the entrance to his tent as the hustle of his camp swirled around him. The walls did well not to shrink back under his punishing gaze. No man had yet dared hold his eye's attention while talking to him, such had been the simmering rage in his countenance since the news of King's Landing's capture.

The Old Lion didn't like being made a fool of and losing control of King's Landing and the King was a devastating blow that would most likely end the reign of Tommen Baratheon and end the Lannister influence over the crown.

His combined forces with Mace Tyrell's were superior he knew but Stannis and Lady Kenna had the most important piece on the board.

The King.

Tywin was sure that Tommen's life would be dangled before him if he were to approach the walls of King's Landing and without his grandson there would be no point in taking King's Landing back. In whose name would he take it back in? And then there were his children to consider. No doubt Stannis had plans for the woman who cuckholded his brother and the man who nearly single-handily destroyed his entire army at the Battle of Blackwater Bay.

Tywin brushed his hand through his beard in exasperation at the situation he found himself in.

Tywin had been in this situation twice before; when he sacked King's Landing and when he had taken the Eyrie. Both times he had an inside man that opened the gates for him. He had no such man this time.

Footsteps approached his position and he heard the familiar voice of his brother, "Jamie is seething in anger. He can't wait to lay siege to the walls."

"Tell him he will have to wait," Tywin replied definitively still focusing on the walls of King's Landing as if they were puzzle he simply needed more time to solve.

"I reminded him that the Lannister forces don't heed his command but yours," Kevan said as he stood beside Tywin and mirrored him to look out onto King's Landing.

"It seems Lady Lannister is on the walls," Tywin growled as his mind fought the image of Kenna, naked and tangled in bedsheets to focus on how he was going to defeat her in this scenario.

"How do you know?" Kevan asked squinting his eyes.

"See the black falcon," Tywin said as he pointed to just above the walls of the capital, "That is her personal falcon so she is there watching us now, just like she did at the Eyrie."

"Then just like at the Eyrie she will be defeated and her prisoners freed," Kevan said reassuringly having every confidence in his brother.

"The situations are not comparable," Tywin barked letting his frustrations out in the company of his brother. "And she knows that." _She knows how strong a position she is in and how to keep it._

Kevan quickly looked around them for any eavesdroppers, "Tywin, don't you think you are focusing too much on Lady Kenna?"

"No brother I do not. She was behind Stannis's siege of King's Landing and the capture of most of my family. I underestimated her. I don't plan on doing that again."

Kevan dipped his head slightly at Tywin's words knowing now was not the time to challenge his brother's thinking.

"Send a messenger to King's Landing. It is time for a parlay," Tywin commanded.

Kevan once again remained silent but bowed his head before he left to carry out his brother's order and leave Tywin to stew in his own thoughts.

* * *

_Later that day …_

**Throne Room, Red Keep, King's Landing, ** **Seat of power of House Baratheon (of Dragonstone) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms **

* * *

Tyrion was laying on his back recounting the cracks in the ceiling he could identify with the limited light of the single torch in his cell when Baratheon men charged into his cell and practically carried him out.

"Where are we going?" Tyrion yelped out as he was dragged across the floor.

"You'll find out soon enough," came the gruff reply back.

And so, he did. A few minutes later he found himself kneeling on the floor with his sister beside him looking up at King Stannis who sat stiffly on his newly claimed throne. Ser Davos stood beside him looking apprehensive as he whispered something discreetly into his King's ear but he was silenced with a wave of Stannis's hand. It seems Stannis didn't want to listen to his Hand.

_This can't be good,_ Tyrion thought despondently as he spotted the Red Woman leaning against one of the great pillars observing the show.

Stannis switched his attention from Ser Davos to the two Lannister siblings kneeling before him.

"Your father and Mace Tyrell have reached King's Landing and are requesting a parlay. I was debating my response and have come to a conclusion."

Tyrion saw how Ser Davos tightened his jaw line at the word conclusion, clearly the Hand and King did not agree on the outcome of the debate between them.

"And what conclusion was that?" Cersei spat at Stannis.

Tyrion admired the bravely Cersei showed in that moment or maybe she truly didn't understand the danger they were in, as it was fairly obvious to Tyrion what Stannis's conclusion was.

"My response will be to send Mace Tyrell my terms for the return of Lady Olenna and to send your heads to your father," Stannis announced in a clear tone.

"You would be a fool to do that," Cersei exclaimed having thought the threat of the Lannister and Tyrell armies would keep her alive, "My father would burn your house to the ground and all those that stood for you. You would be destroyed in his wrath."

"Maybe, but I will not be dictated to by anyone. Not Tywin Lannister. Not Mace Tyrell. Not-"

Stannis's rant was interrupted as the doors of the Throne room flew open to reveal Lady Kenna rampaging towards them with a Vale Lord at each shoulder.

Ser Davos looked relieved at the sight of Kenna and his jawline slackened as he took a few steps down from the Throne in a way of greeting to Lady Kenna.

"What is going on here?" Kenna asked with ferocity behind every word.

"A messenger from the Lannister and Tyrell camp came demanding a parlay. I intend to reply by sending him back with their heads," Stannis said with an undertone of steel as he pointed towards Cersei and Tyrion who Kenna had now passed with Lord Royce and Lord Grafton following her all the way.

"Allow me to change your mind your Grace," Kenna responded tempering her tone, not wanting to antagonize Stannis further.

"Why would I change my mind Lady Kenna?" Stannis asked from his position on the throne.

* * *

Tyrion watched and listened as Lady Kenna tried to convince Stannis to hear what his father and Mace Tyrell had to say instead of destroying any chance of diplomacy. Her arguments of using Cersei and Tyrion as tactical leverage in any negotiations were sound but it looked like Stannis didn't want to listen to her let alone entertain the idea of meeting his opponents for a parlay. It looked like where Davos had failed to install reason so too would Kenna fail to convince Stannis to see reason.

"This is all your fault," came his sister's harsh voice.

"How is this my fault?" Tyrion whispered back, not wanting to draw attention to himself.

"If you hadn't got captured by Catelyn Stark none of this would be happening right now," Cersei reasoned.

Tyrion snapped. Maybe it was a combination of the years of torment Cersei had inflicted on him or the fact her latest insult was just delusional but Tyrion saw red.

"You think I caused this?" Tyrion whispered back in a disbelieving tone, "If you had actually given Robert true heirs instead of three bastards with Jamie there would have been no War of the Five Kings and a Queen. There would be no reason for Stannis to claim the Iron Throne and now decide our fate. It is not me who is responsible for this situation. It is _you_."

Cersei glared back at Tyrion, the heated debate between Kenna and Stannis forgotten in front of them, "You should never have survived. My mother should have survived. Everything that has gone wrong for House Lannister starts with you!"

The topic of their mother was a sore point for Tyrion. There wasn't a day that went by where Tyrion didn't wish he could have met her and known her, felt her warm touch instead of his father's cold glares, heard her honey like voice instead of his father's harsh tones, and some days he even wished that he had died for her such was the love he felt for the mother the Gods had cruelly taken away from his father, his siblings and himself.

Tyrion was overwhelmed in that moment to hurt Cersei anyway he could so she too could feel the pain he suffered with every day at being the cause of his mother's death. Tyrion's eyes wandered over Cersei's still healing cut on her cheek before he locked eyes with his sister.

"Father killed Joffrey."

Tyrion knew revealing the truth wasn't wise but he doubted he would keep his head much longer and he wanted Cersei to know the truth as it would shatter her world and he wasn't done yet.

"Father is fucking Lady Kenna too since Jamie refuses to do the job," Tyrion hummed to her in a hushed tone as he savored the lost look in Cersei's eyes.

Tyrion's words seemed to physically shake Cersei and her entire body slumped to the floor deflated. Her mouth wavered as if she wanted to refute what Tyrion had said but couldn't find the words as deep down the conclusion that Littlefinger had been behind Joffrey's death had never felt right to her. She had only accepted it at her father's assurance that Littlefinger had been the culprit. Now she knew why Littlefinger's guilt hadn't rung true. Because her father had killed Joffrey, not the Mockingbird.

The revealed secrets destroyed the idolized image of their father in Cersei's mind. Tywin Lannister had always been the one man she had relied on her entire life. That belief and image was now currently being rendered to ash in Cersei's mind as her eyes dropped to the floor.

Stannis's shout of frustration drew Tyrion's attention back to the two nobles currently debating the worth of keeping his head attached to the rest of his body.

* * *

"Again, my Lady why should I change my mind? You have given me no good reason too," Stannis practically yelled at Kenna, his temper getting the better of him.

_I have given you many good reasons_, Kenna shouted back in her mind. _You are too stubborn to listen to them! You pig headed man!_

Kenna's mind frantically searched for another answer to Stannis's question but the only one that came to her that might change Stannis's chosen course of action was one that she desperately wanted to avoid saying.

"Because when I am _your Queen_ I would rather _we_ rule over a Kingdom not ravaged by an unnecessary war with the Lannisters and Tyrells," Kenna said in the most even voice she could muster.

A halting silence followed her words as all the eyes on the Throne room settled on her.

"Is that a yes then?" Stannis finally said, seeking clarity.

"That is a yes, if we both survive the coming few days and my current husband falls. I think our survival would be greatly helped if you would allow Ser Davos and myself to parlay with the Lannisters and the Tyrells instead of sending them the heads of Lord Tyrion and Lady Cersei."

"Fine."

With that one word from Stannis the tension in the room was alleviated.

"Ser Davos organize the parlay and make sure my future wife is suitably protected throughout. It is her wish to be present but we will not allow the Lannisters or Tyrells to take advantage of her being there."

_Advantage? My presence would be a disadvantage to them_, Kenna scolded Stannis in her mind.

Davos bowed, "Yes your Grace."

It was clear that they were all dismissed so Kenna quickly bowed and raced Lord Royce and Lord Grafton out of the Throne room. As they went Lord Royce whispered, "That was not part of the plan."

"I know but neither are Tyrion's and Cersei's lifeless heads part of the plan either," Kenna murmured back as she resisted resting her hands on her tummy.


	45. The Lion and the Falcon

* * *

_Next day at midday …._

**Facing south, Under the Iron Gate leading to the Rosby Road, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (of Dragonstone) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

"My Lady are you sure you want to accompany me?" Davos asked for the third time while looking at the black falcon currently resting on the noble lady's shoulder.

"Yes, Lord Hand," Kenna replied as she smoothed down the mane of her horse.

Noticing Davos was still looking at her with concern clouding his features Kenna brought her horse to Stannis's most trusted adviser so they were on the same eye level.

"I must say your concern for my wellbeing is touching. You don't have the same concerns for Lady Melisandre?" Kenna asked looking at the mounted Red Woman who willed her steed to walk through the Iron Gate with a mix of roughly fifty men wearing Arryn and Baratheon colours following in her stead.

"No, I do not," Davos said in a tone that conveyed his distaste for the woman as he kicked his horse onwards out of the Iron Gate.

Kenna flicked her gaze behind her to see Cersei sitting in front of Lord Royce on his large white horse.

_I bet they are enjoying each other's company_, Kenna thought wistfully but reminded herself that Cersei would prove to be a convincing visual aid to her future arguments and was pivotal to her achieving her end goal at this parlay.

Kenna eyes flicked from the two stony faced nobles to a wooden carriage that was surrounded by a group of Baratheon and Arryn soldiers. Kenna knew Lady Olenna sat inside, waiting to see if the men of her family valued her life highly enough to turn their army around and march back to High Garden.

Kenna encouraged her horse to leave the stationary carriage behind and chase Davos down which prompted Balerion to take to the sky. The falcon soared over her as she easily caught up with Davos.

Once she had aligned her cantering horse with his, the balding man turned to her with a thoughtful expression on his face, "Why did you want to be present at this parlay my Lady?"

Kenna took a beat to reply, considering her words carefully, "You represent Stannis, Melisandre will represent the Lord of Light, Tywin Lannister will stand for the West and Mace Tyrell will attempt to act for the South. I will be present for the Vale. No one speaks for me Lord Davos, only me."

Kenna's answer seemed to be sufficient as Davos remained silent for the rest of the short journey to the designated meeting location.

* * *

A few minutes later_ …_

**Halfway between the war camps and the outer Walls of King's Landing, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (of Dragonstone) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Jamie gripped the reins of his horse so tightly that if his hand hadn't been covered in amour, he was sure the leather would have cut right through it. A cold breeze whistled through the mounted contingent of Tyrell and Lannister nobles. The only sound, other than the sweeping wind, was the naying of their horses as they patiently waited for their opponents to arrive.

Jamie felt his father's presence to his left. He didn't turn his head but the shadow of his father's great white horse fell over his own, just like his father's shadow had fallen over his entire life.

Mace and Loras Tyrell sat still atop their chestnut coloured beasts as they both observed King Stannis's chosen representatives making their way towards them.

_They look tense_, Jamie thought before conceding that the two Tyrell men had as much to lose as the Lannisters did.

The advancing party was closer now as the sound of hoofs hitting the cold hard ground reached his ears and the squawk of a falcon could be heard in the distance.

Jamie concentrated on the incoming group and something caught his eye.

Blond hair flowing in the wind.

_They have Cersei,_ Jamie exclaimed in his head as a cold dread seemed to penetrate his gut.

"Don't react," came his father's harsh voice.

He must have seen Cersei too.

"How am I not supposed to react? They have everyone I love," Jamie angrily whispered back.

"If you want them to live, don't do anything stupid," Tywin replied in a tempered tone as the horses of the Baratheon and Arryn troop started to slow.

Tywin noted how Stannis wasn't among them. It seemed that the current King of the Seven Kingdom didn't want to face him or maybe he feared that if he left King's Landing someone else would steal it away from him and the throne with it.

Three riders headed the party; a woman covered head to toe in red; and a balding man; while he didn't know the first two, he was very familiar with the last rider, intimately so.

Fierce green eyes met defiant blue ones.

* * *

Davos brought his horse to a halt besides Lady Melisandre's while Lady Kenna stopped on his other side.

For a jarring second no one spoke as if they were all frozen into place by the coming winter's wind or the anticipation of what would undoubtably be defining talks for all involved.

Lady Kenna's strong voice broke the spell as the cold breeze lightly whipped around her hair, "I realize my Lords that you may not be familiar with my companions. May I introduce you to King Stannis's Hand, Lord Davos."

_That sounds wrong,_ Davos told himself as Kenna moved on to introduce Melisandre.

"And this is Lady Melisandre, the Red Woman."

Mace Tyrell aimed a confused look at Melisandre but apart from the occasional naying from the horses Kenna's words were met with a stony silence.

Kenna filled the silence in her head, _Mmm, I suppose they aren't interested in their names, just what Stannis's terms are._

Kenna shrugged at Davos and he took this as his cue, "Lord Mace, King Stannis has asked me to treat with you so that we may avoid further bloodshed and war."

Mace appeared to look at Lord Tywin for a sign of guidance but the Old Lion's attention was entirely captivated by his good-daughter who sat gracefully on her black horse fully aware that Tywin's heavy gaze was locked onto her. It wasn't something new to her. She had felt it at Harenhall and at the Eyrie.

"What is his offer," Mace settled on.

Davos cleared his throat before announcing the terms that Stannis had agreed to at the Small Council meeting, "King Stannis demands that you march your army back to High Garden and in return we will give you back your mother."

Mace gulped in a breath, not use to being the one responsible for making such important decisions despite being the Warden of the South. Before he could reply his son stepped in.

"What about Margaery?" the pretty youth questioned after his sister.

"She will remain in King's Landing as a guest of King Stannis's to ensure that the Tyrell army remains in the Reach. In time, when it is suitable for your Lord father to bend the knee once more and declare Stannis the rightful King over the_ Seven_ Kingdoms, she may be returned to you."

Loras nodded at this as if he had expected as much and spoke directly into his father's ear.

Their quite mutterings allowed a short recess to occur and Kenna took full advantage to steady herself for what was to come and look up into the sky to spot Balerion gliding through the midday air. The falcon was beautiful to watch and his dance soothed any lingering tensions from her mind and body. Kenna returned her attention to the two Tyrell men.

Kenna could tell they were unsure on their path forward after a few more moments of hushed words so Kenna decided to apply some pressure.

"My Lord," her voice rang out across the flat landscape as she addressed Mace Tyrell, "Your mother doesn't have many years left in this world. Do you really want them to be spend rotting away in the Black Cells? Or would you prefer to throw away her life and that of your daughter's in an assault on King's Landing's walls?"

Kenna switched her focus to the younger Tyrell, "Your sister will remain unharmed and allowed to roam the Red Keep if you accept our terms. She will be treated with the utmost honour."

Loras acknowledged Kenna's words and his head once again dipped to his father's side and after another few seconds of furious whispering they had come to a conclusion.

Lord Mace readjusted himself on his horse and quite obviously avoided the hard stares from Jamie and Tywin were throwing him, "If you return my mother to me now and guarantee the safety of my daughter, I will march my army back to High Garden this very day."

At Lord Mace's words Davos stuck up a gloved hand, signaling the men at the Iron Gate, "King Stannis will guarantee the safety of Lady Margaery as long as you keep to the agreed terms."

Kenna looked behind her and she saw the carriage containing the Queen of Thorns slowly roll towards their position. It was going to take a few minutes for it to navigate to their location. She whipped her head back around to be greeted by her husband's fierce eyes. They were so much like his father's that it took Kenna a second to relax her face back into the confident smile that she had been maintaining throughout the parlay.

Kenna winked at Jamie betraying the thrill she was experiencing at having the upper hand in these negotiations, before he switched his attention to his sister.

_Don't worry we will get to her,_ Kenna thought as she patted her horse's mane in excitement.

The Tyrell's had accepted Stannis's terms and now the Lannisters will accept hers. She hadn't run her plan through with Stannis or Lord Davos but the former wasn't here to stop her and the latter wouldn't be able to stop her executing it anyway.

Kenna enjoyed this. The feeling of having outfoxed her opponent. Of having beaten the mighty Tywin Lannister and sly Olenna Tyrell at their own game. The only comparable experience she could think of was when a young knight had won his first tournament by beating the long-standing champion.

Well the entirety of the Seven Kingdoms was her arena and everything and everyone was her weapon of choice.

It had taken her awhile to set up and see through but all her effort and suffering over the past few years she had spent in King's Landing as a practical prisoner had all been worth it. She had gotten her revenge on Littlefinger and Lysa, Stannis had come and released her from her imprisonment in King's Landing and now she was going ensure the prosperous future of the Vale in Stannis's reign by bringing the two most powerful houses in Westeros to their knees in his name.

_Maybe after today I can convince Stannis that he doesn't need me as a wife, that I would serve him better as the Warden of the East in the Eyrie,_ Kenna hopefully thought.

She really had no desire to be Stannis's Queen or spend any more time than was necessary in the man's presence. She wouldn't even let her mind drift to what he might be like in the bedroom. He might make a just King with Lord Davos as his Hand but his constant righteousness would vex Kenna after a while and holding in her anger wasn't one of her strengths.

* * *

Tywin observed his daughter. She sat in front of Lord Royce and her eyes hadn't left the floor since the deliberations had started as if she was unable to look him in the eye. An uneasy feeling crept into Tywin's mind.

_Why would she not be able to look him in the eye?_

He switched his attention from his daughter to Lady Kenna. As he took in her features his blood started to boil. There sat the woman who was on the cusp of bringing his great house to its knees. Stannis could claim the credit but she was the one who was truly responsible.

She looked tense, _no not tense …. excited_, Tywin corrected himself. He had seen Kenna in both states enough to know the difference.

Tywin felt Jamie's desperate breath at his neck, "Are you going to do something to stop the Tyrell's from leaving?"

"There is nothing to be done."

"If we are going to take King's Landing we need their men," Jamie stated.

Tywin blew out a calming breath from his nose, "Tell me Jamie, why do you want to capture King's Landing?"

"To free Cersei, Tyrion and Tommen," Jamie said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Who do you think will be the first people to die when we assault the walls of King's Landing?"

Jamie didn't reply but by the grief stricken look on his face he had come to the same three names that Tywin himself had come to.

Not all problems could be solved by overwhelming military might.

"What are we going to do?" Jamie asked in a sombre voice, staring at his downcast twin.

"Wait and see what they offer us, then negotiate," Tywin said firmly to his eldest son.

It was the only sensible action available to them in the current scenario.

Jamie bowed his head and followed his father in staring intensely at the carriage creaking its way towards them.

Once it had safely passed through the line of Baratheon and Arryn soldiers Mace and Loras Tyrell trotted up to the carriage as it was vacated by Arryn and Baratheon soldiers then surrounded by Tyrell men.

Tywin observed how Loras Tyrell shot him a look and then conversed through the open carriage window as the carriage continued to move across the open landscape. The young man gestured for him to come to the carriage.

"Stay here," Tywin commanded to his son as he trotted off to meet the incoming carriage.

Tywin approached and without getting off his horse he peeked inside the carriage. Sat inside with a terrifying scowl on her face was Lady Olenna.

"So, this is how it feels to be a piece on the board and not the player," the elder lady mused to herself before looking at Tywin through the open window, "I do not recommend it."

"I told you you should have executed the Arryn girl when you had the chance at the Eyrie. Now she has the run of King's Landing and she isn't the wilting flower we would all like her to be," Lady Olenna hurled at Tywin with her sharp tongue.

Tywin remained silent waiting for Olenna to go through her usual range of insults and witty words but to his surprise no more came from the Tyrell matriarch's mouth. She appeared to sink further in her seat before eyeing Lord Tywin on his horse.

"We are getting too old for this," she said behind weary eyes.

"Maybe," Tywin admitted as he felt the cold of the day seeping into his bones.

"What did my oafish son agree to, to secure my release?"

"To march the Tyrell army to High Garden. Your granddaughter will be kept in King's Landing to ensure your army stays in High Garden."

Olenna tutted at this piece of news, "It looks like the alliance of House Tyrell and House Lannister is over. Stannis will not allow Tommen's claim to the throne to hamper his reign and with that boy's exile to the Wall or death so too will our alliance fade into oblivion."

"Will House Tyrell forget and forgive so easily?" Tywin said knowing that the Queen of Thorns wasn't the forgiving type and nor would she take the insult of her favorite granddaughter being held as a hostage for long, just as he wouldn't with his grandson.

Olenna gave Tywin a coy smile, "House Tyrell may but I do not." After a few beats of silent Lady Olenna added, "Good luck Lord Tywin, I hope you can best Stannis's cronies and _her_ for both our houses sake."

There was no mistaking who '_her'_ was as Tywin nodded in understanding and allowed the carriage to continue on its long journey to High Garden.

"I apologize my Lord for our actions. It must seem like cowardice to you," Loras said to Tywin in a cautious voice and hooded eyes.

"There is no cowardice in seeking the best outcome for your house," Tywin said in a calm voice hiding his inner thoughts, "and acquiring your grandmother's safety and council was the best result you could have hoped to achieve."

Whether the Tyrell army had stayed or not it did not tactically matter. The problem of securing the safety of his kin would only be resolved through diplomacy, not military prowess.

"Thank you, my Lord. I hope House Lannister can obtain the best outcome too," Loras said echoing his grandmother's sentiment before following the carriage away from the parlay point.

* * *

Kenna savored the vision of the Tyrell army marching away from her. The feeling of having stood before a fifty-thousand strong host and coming off as the victor was euphoric inducing.

Now that the Tyrells were dealt with it was the Lannister's turn. Kenna turned to Davos and he inclined his head to her, understanding that it was time continue the talks.

"Lord Tywin," Davos said in a steady voice, "are you ready to receive King Stannis's terms?"

Tywin sent Davos a curt nod as his horse shifted besides his son's.

"King Stannis orders you to march your army back to the Westerlands or he will destroy it."

After it was clear that Davos had finished and that was all he was going to say Tywin exchanged a disbelieving look with Jamie, "Is that it? What of Tyrion, Cersei, and my grandson?"

Davos clenched his jaw before he spoke next, "King Stannis wanted you to know that there will be no bartering for your kin. Cersei will die for birthing three bastards. Tyrion will die for his part in the Battle of Blackwater. Tommen Waters will be kept as a hostage until the time you bend the knee and he may be allowed to serve at the Wall."

The outrage was clear on Tywin's face but Jamie was the first to voice it.

"You can't be serious. You allowed the Tyrells to slink back to the Reach with Lady Olenna. If you kill my siblings, I will make sure you all follow them into the Stranger's arms," Jamie roared as he unsheathed his sword.

A calm voice cut through the rapidly escalating situation, "There is another offer on the table so to speak."

All eyes went to the source.

"What are you talking about?" Davos questioned Kenna under his breath as fire flickered in her eyes.

"I propose an exchange," Kenna said loudly ignoring Davos and making sure no one missed her words. "Cersei for Jamie."

"Out of the question," Tywin shot back instantly. Everyone with a little bit of tactical knowledge knew that the eldest son was more valuable than the eldest daughter.

"I wasn't really addressing you Lord Tywin," Kenna slyly replied as her eyes moved from father to son.

Understanding Kenna was really addressing him and not his father Jamie spoke up, "I'll do it. I will hand myself over to you just release Cersei."

"No," Tywin commanded his son as he put a hand on Jamie's arm.

"I don't care what you want Father. If there is a way I can save Cersei, I will," Jamie said with conviction swatting off his father's hand and sheathing his sword.

Tywin looked from his son to his good-daughter. She was smiling sweetly at him. She knew that Jamie would do anything for Cersei and short of knocking his own son out Tywin couldn't stop the golden fool from exchanging himself with his sister.

_So be it,_ Tywin thought. He had tried to guide Jamie since the day he was born. If he hadn't learnt the game by now, he never would.

Tywin watched as Jamie kicked his horse forward. Kenna signaled to Lord Royce and the old Vale Lord advanced with Cersei in his arms.

Kenna felt Lord Davos at her elbow and decided to cut off his protests before they began, "You know Jamie is more valuable so just let me do this. I will handle the Stannis's anger later but for now let me do what is best for his reign."

Davos hesitated for a moment but backed down knowing what Kenna said was true. He knew it was more beneficial to have Jamie Lannister as their hostage than it was to have Cersei Lannister. He just wasn't sure if Stannis would see reason on that point. His King had been adamant that Cersei was to be beheaded once she had returned from the parlay.

The exchange went smoothly with Jamie crossing over to their side without a word to his sister while Lord Royce jumped off his own horse that Cersei sat atop and led it to the Lannister's side.

Lord Royce handed over the reins to one of the Lannister men and as he did, he shot Tywin a murderous glare.

Tywin returned the look with equal force as he watched the Vale Lord lumber back to the other side and commandeer one of the Vale soldiers of their horse before mounting it.

He looked to his daughter who still sat on the horse with her eyes cast to the floor. A flash of concern for her went through Tywin, _Did they hurt her?_ he wondered.

Cersei was never this quite unless she was upset or plotting _vengeance_. He guessed it was the latter and would listen to her ideas against _Stannis _and _Lady Kenna_ once this parlay was finished.

Davos and Melisandre made to leave but Kenna stopped them, "We aren't done."

"There are no more terms to discuss," Davos replied surprised as Melisandre eyes narrowed and burned into her.

"There is one left to be offered," Kenna insisted.

"Please my Lady. Let us return," Davos pleaded, "Stannis hasn't agreed to any further terms and you have already negotiated outside of the remit Stannis gave us by facilitating the exchange of Cersei for Jamie, which he isn't going to take well."

"Stannis is a fool if he doesn't take that exchange well," Kenna said in an annoyed tone losing her patience. "And I am being forced to negotiate outside of the remit Stannis has given us because his blind hatred and stubbornness isn't allowing him to consider all the options available to us."

Davos was going to continue his warnings but Kenna switched her attention from him to the Old Lion who had been watching their exchange with vested interest.

Kenna lifted her head and a shimmering gleam twinkled in her eyes, "Lord Tywin there is one last offer I can make you. Would you like to hear it?"

"Say your piece my Lady," Tywin replied holding his composure well as he saw a few Arryn men tie Jamie to Lord Royce's horse so that he would have to walk behind it.

"You could save your family. All you have to do my Lord is bend the knee to Stannis. Declare him the rightful ruler of the Seven Kingdoms and denounce Tommen as a bastard in the Light of the Seven. Jamie and Tommen would be sent to the Wall. Cersei could join the Silent Sisters or live out her days in Casterly Rock. Tyrion would remain in King's Landing as a hostage and his marriage to Sansa annulled," Kenna licked her lips as she eyed the father of her future child, "All your children can live if you _submit."_

A slight tremor went through Tywin at Kenna's last word as he was briefly transported back to the bedroom in Chataya's brothel where he recalled the last conversation they had had around submission and the many hours they had spent together in that room since exploring the topic with each other.

Tywin let the silence stretch out as his pride and the reality of the situation clashed in his head.

"It is quite simple my Lord. _Surrender_ and your children and grandson will live. Don't surrender and they will probably all die and your legacy will follow them," Kenna stated as she ignored the bewildered looks Davos was shooting her with and the piercing glare of Melisandre who was probably trying to make her burst into flames at this point.

Kenna knew her statement was not strictly true as the unborn babe in her tummy would carry the Old Lion's legacy on if all living Lannisters perished but he didn't need to know that right now.

Tywin's next words made her confident aura falter, "Is that a _promise_ my Lady? Because I think we have established you don't keep those. Nor do you keep your word or value the concept of honor."

"How can you judge a concept that you have no knowledge of?" Kenna flung back avoiding the point about their _promise_, trying to keep her lying to a minimum.

Tywin drew a certain satisfaction from being able to break the calm demeanor Kenna had been maintaining throughout the parlay but he knew in the end Kenna's offer would need a proper answer.

"What you ask isn't something to be taken lightly," Tywin said as he shifted the reins of his horse in his hands, "I need .. time to consider your proposal."

"Of course," Kenna replied regaining some of her lost composure. "But this offer is time sensitive. I can only hold off Stannis's thirst for Lannister blood for so long. Send a raven when you have made your decision."

Having said what, she had truly had come out to say Kenna turned her horse around and galloped back towards the Iron Gate of King's Landing. The Arryn entourage followed her closely, leaving Davos and Melisandre with the Baratheon men.

Davos gave Lord Tywin a short bow before following the rebellious Lady back towards King's Landing.

Kenna had no right to offer those terms and yet Davos knew that the best outcome for Stannis and his future reign would be for Tywin to bend the knee. With the mighty Lion of the West brought to heel so too would the Tyrells bend the knee and Stannis could work towards uniting the Seven Kingdoms instead of fighting to establish his dominance over them.

For the sake of the realm Davos prayed to the Gods that Stannis wouldn't punish Kenna too harshly for overstepping her authority and see that what she had done was for the future of the realm. To ensure peace and stability.

Tywin noticed the dissonance between the Arryn and Baratheon camps and wondered if in the future he might be able to take advantage of it. But now he had a decision to make.

Family or pride.


	46. Wrath and Pride

* * *

Same day an hour later _…_

**Lannister camp, near the Walls of King's Landing, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (of Dragonstone) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

The disgust and absolute vitriol that was radiating from Prince Oberyn was nothing new to Tywin. Many men had looked at him in such a way and many men had fallen before him just as the proud Prince had done.

The Prince was sat on the floor of a tent with his hands bound behind a wooden pole that he was currently leaning his back on with his legs outstretched on the ground in front of him. Tywin stood over the Prince so that Oberyn had to crane his neck upwards to keep eye contact with the Westerland Lord.

"Has my brother decided to forgo my life and march the Dornish armies to crush you against the walls of King's Landing yet?"

"Your brother would never take advantage of my current positioning with your life still in my hands. He doesn't have the ability to sacrifice what he loves for the good of his people," Tywin gave Oberyn a calculating stare, "Neither do you or you would have left your revenge well alone."

Oberyn gave Tywin a dark look, "Monsters need to be punished and if I am not the one to punish you someone else will."

Tywin not interested in delving into the topic of Elia's and her children's murders again got to the point of his visit, "Tell me Prince Oberyn why were you going to frame Lady Kenna for my murder? Why not Tyrion? Why not leave clues towards a Stannis loyalist or attempt to throw suspicion on the Tyrells?"

Oberyn looked up at Tywin with interest, "Why are you asking that?"

"Just answer the question," Tywin demanded.

Oberyn leaned further back into the wooden post, "I had first thought to make your murder look like the work of a faceless assassin but Lord Varys suggest that I lay the blame a little closer to home."

"Why?"

"When I asked myself, he simply said that Lady Kenna could grow to become an obstacle and informed me of her … _relationship_ with you and that was all I needed to know to ease my conscience."

"Because if you sleep with a monster you are one?"

"No because she refused to help me kill you _and_ she was sleeping with you."

Tywin knew that Kenna had refused Prince Oberyn's offer because she had known that Stannis was on his way to capture King's Landing.

Having gotten the piece of information he had been seeking Tywin turned on his heels and marched out the tent flap leaving Prince Oberyn once again all alone.

As he strode back towards his own tent, his mind started to ponder Vary's actions. Varys was clearly in the employ of the Targaryen girl so that begged the question, _why would he see Lady Kenna as an obstacle for Daenerys Targaryen to overcome? She doesn't have a claim to the Throne nor has she declared against the Targaryen's like her father did. _

In fact, she was currently weakening the Crown as a whole having caused the current standoff between the two fractions supporting King Stannis Baratheon and King Tommen Baratheon.

Then the answer hit him just before he was about to enter his own tent.

Varys saw Lady Kenna as a potential threat to Daenerys Targaryen's rule _once _she had taken the Throne. She alone controlled the Eyrie, commanded the respect of the North and Riverlands, through marriage and her future children she could influence the Westerlands too. If Lady Kenna decided to resist a new Targaryen Queen in the future, she would have the ability and resources in which to do so.

Tywin appreciated Vary's foresight. He really did play the long game and he played it well. Tywin agreed with the Spiders assessment, Lady Kenna was a formidable and dangerous opponent to have.

* * *

The flap of the tent had barely closed behind him when he heard Kevan's taut tones.

"Brother, we need to response to Lady Kenna's offer."

"I know," Tywin replied as he rounded the table to sit opposite his brother. He eyed Cersei who was sitting at the head of the table finishing a meal so that the three Lannisters where seated in a triangle with the other half of the table empty.

Tywin flicked his eyes to his daughter who was placing her knife and fork together on the metal plate, "If I bend the knee and declare for Stannis do you think Lady Kenna will keep her word and spare our family? Will Stannis keep to the agreed terms?"

"Both see themselves as honourable and want to be seen as honourable. They tend not to _lie_ to get want they want like others do," Cersei said in a cold voice with a tense edge to her.

"Yes," Tywin agreed his eyes lingering on the healing cut on his daughter's face, he knew who was responsible, "but did you see the surprise in Lord Davos's face when Kenna asked for me to bend the knee? He didn't know what Kenna was going to offer and that likely means that neither did Stannis."

"You think that Stannis won't honour the terms even if you do bend the knee?" Kevan asked in a worried pitch.

"He would be an idiot not to accept my surrender, if I offer it," Tywin said still unsure on his course of action, "He needs peace to return to Westeros if his rule is going to last."

"Then it is decided then isn't it," Cersei said as her hand slapped against the tables wooden surface making the knife fall off her plate and onto the table, "You will bend the knee, Jamie and my son will be shipped off to the Wall to freeze to death, Myrcella will forget all about her real family and become a Dornish whore while I spend the remaining years of my live trapped in Casterly Rock under your suffocating gaze."

Both Kevan and Tywin were visibly shocked by Cersei's outburst but Tywin recovered faster and had decided on his path forward, "Kevan send a raven to King Stannis and inform him I am ready to bend the knee if he will refrain from killing my sons and grandson."

Kevan who had no desire to get between his brother and niece quickly stood from his chair and exited the tent to carry out his brother's order.

"You could be sent to the Silent Sisters if you prefer," Tywin harshly pointed out, "or maybe I should attack the walls of King's Landing and ensure Jamie, Tyrion's and Tommen's deaths. Would you prefer that?"

"Yes, impose your will on me and make me see that I am wrong and that you are right," Cersei remarked as her rage over past actions built, "If one of your children doesn't live up to your expectations you just throw them away and ignore them or worse."

"I made you Queen of the Seven Kingdoms; I did not throw you away," Tywin near shouted back as his hands curled to fists in anger.

"That pig you married me too was no more a King than you have been a father," Cersei spat back as all decorum left her and only her burning fury and resentment remained.

"Cersei," Tywin roared as he moved from his chair to tower over his daughter, "that is enough."

Cersei erupted out of her chair to stare eye to eye with her father and such was the intensity in her gaze that Tywin didn't even notice the knife sliding into his stomach or feel the sharp pain until he had taken a further breath.

Tywin looked down between them to see the handle of a small knife poking out his midriff.

Cersei answered her father's unspoken question in a low and heavy tone, "You killed my son. Don't try to deny it."

Tywin's hands immediately went to the handle of the blade but Cersei would not relinquish her hold on it and any struggle would embed the knife further into the Old Lion.

So, there the knife remained, in Cersei's firm grip with her father's two hands covering her own that held the knife in place but not prying for control of the blade.

Their heavy breaths filled the silence in the tent.

Tywin attempted to speak but Cersei cut him off, "If the next words out of your mouth isn't the truth about Joffrey's death, I will twist this knife so far in that the entire camp will hear your cries."

Tywin refocused away from the pain pooling in his gut to Cersei's face. There had been no hesitation when she had spoken her words and with a sickening realisation, he knew that he had underestimated his daughter. His life was in her hands now.

Keeping his hands where they were, ready to react if Cersei did push the knife further in, Tywin gritted his teeth, "I killed Joffrey because he was responsible for the assassination attempt on my life before his wedding to Margaery."

"You are lying. He would never kill one of his own kin," Cersei said with tears falling from her eyes as the emotion of what she was doing and why she was doing it finally caught up with her anger. "You killed him because he was Jamie's bastard. Because he was a slight to your fucking legacy. Because you can't stand the thought of your children fucking each other."

"If I thought to that extreme Tommen would be dead too and probably Myrcella," Cersei's hand tensed around the knife, "But they are both alive and I am trying to save the life of your only remaining son while you are trying to take mine."

Cersei sucked in a few faltering breaths as she tried to clear her head. Tywin took advantage of her pause to continue to explain his actions and hope that the truth would make her see reason.

"You know that Joffrey was unhinged and uncontrollable. He saw me as a threat to his freedom and like the true Lannister he is, he paid for his problem to disappear. He paid those assassins. I got confirmation from their very mouths."

Cersei remained silent but kept her father's gaze, "Joffrey tried to … murder you."

Tywin could see the understanding flash across Cersei's face but the anger remained, "Yes he did."

"You never love anything as much as you do your first born," Cersei said slowly remembering her eldest son.

Tywin held Cersei's eyes with warmth that he thought he could no longer muster and murmured, "I agree."

Cersei's chest heaved at her father's words but it was too little and too late, "I hate you."

"I … I see that now but kill me and Tommen dies. Jamie dies. And Stannis will come after your head. I will swallow my pride to ensure Jamie and your son live but in order to do that I need to still be breathing," Tywin softened his voice, "Let go of the knife Cersei."

Her father's words echoed around her as her mind ran through images of Tommen and Jamie. The joyful memories battled with her resentment of the man in front of her.

Her love won out against her hate as her trembling hand released its grip on the knife and she took a few stuttering steps backwards to practically collapse onto her seat.

As soon as Cersei's touch had lifted from the handle Tywin carefully removed the knife and applied pressure to the wound stifling the blood dripping from the pierced flesh.

"Guards," he yelled.

"What are you going to do to me," Cersei muttered wiping her tears away.

Tywin rested the bloodied knife on the table, "I will send you to Casterly Rock where Kevan and Genna will watch over you."

"I just tried to murder you like my son did," Cersei said in disbelieve, clearing thinking she was going to share the same fate.

"You forget one thing."

Cersei raised her eyes.

"You are my first born."

Cersei looked at her father in astonishment. Those five words were as close to a 'I love you' she had ever gotten from him since the passing of her mother. She had craved this moment for years and years but now his love meant nothing to her.

Two guards rushed into the tent at that moment and stopped at the sight of the bloody knife, trying to work out what had happened.

"Take Lady Cersei to her own tent. Make sure she doesn't leave and get me my maester. Be quick about it," Tywin commanded, showing no signs of the injury Cersei had inflicted on him.

As Tywin watched his daughter get escorted out of the tent, he felt a pang of agony stab at his heart and it had nothing to do with the fresh wound in his gut.

He truly had failed each of his children in one way or another.

"Forgive me Joanna," Tywin muttered to himself as he awaited the maester and slumped down into one of the chairs that surrounded the table.

* * *

_An hour later …_

**Throne Room, Red Keep, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (of Dragonstone) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Tyrion stood chained alongside Tommen and Jamie around one of the pillars of the Throne room. He watched closely as Lady Kenna enter the Throne room with a small group of Vale men including the ever-faithful Lord Royce. The Baratheon men posing as Kingsguard looked particularly on edge and were ridged in their stances as they guarded their King, a perfect mirror of Stannis himself. There were Golden Company men dotted all around the Throne room and Tyrion spied their tall blond Commander locked in discussion with Lord Davos near the Throne.

To relive the anxiety he was feeling at having been dragged to the Throne room and to break the staring contest he was now having with the Red Woman who sat on the steps to the Throne, he leaned slightly towards his brother's elbow and whispered upwards, "You couldn't have traded yourself for both Cersei _and me_?"

"Father wasn't that keen on me just trading myself with Cersei so I thought best not to push my luck," Jamie said in a humorous tone consciously ignoring the gnawing feeling he was getting in his stomach at the scene assembling before them.

Tyrion shared his brother's impending sense of doom, there was only two reason that Stannis would have all three Lannister prisoners gathered in the Throne room. To either execute them or set them free and as far as Tyrion was aware nothing had happened to facilitate their release.

* * *

Kenna stopped before the steps leading to the throne, in front of the line of the line of Kingsguard, and bowed respectfully, "You summoned me, your Grace."

"I did," came Stannis's curt reply as his eyes sized up the Arryn party behind Kenna and in particular Lord Royce.

"Lord Davos informed me of the outcome of the parlay," Stannis's grey eyes bore into Kenna, "I don't remember ordering you to exchange Cersei for the Kingslayer, nor do I remember giving you leave to agree to terms of surrender for the Lannisters."

"Your Grace if I could interject-" Kenna tried in an even voice taking a step forward.

"I am not finished," shouted Stannis as his hands gripped the arms of the Iron Throne tightly.

Kenna took a step backwards; she knew Stannis would not be happy with what she had done but the waves of anger pulsating from him now was surely an overreaction. She might have just secured peace for the Seven Kingdoms and a good foundation for his future reign.

"I don't want Tywin Lannister's surrender," Stannis's entire body was trembling in rage, "His whore of a daughter cuckolded Robert and that action has nearly driven my house to destruction. I will have the same for his house."

_You were the one who killed Renly_, Kenna mentally yelled at Stannis but her wits tucked away the urge to enflame the situation any further and she settled for seeking out clarity.

"I have given the terms to Tywin Lannister, if he accepts, I advise you to uphold the deal I have made for the betterment of the Realm," Kenna said observing how Davos couldn't look her in the eye.

"You are no longer in a position to give me advise."

_I never cared for being on the Small Council anyway,_ Kenna growled in her mind.

Stannis stood from the Iron Throne highlighting the height difference between them even more, "You disobeyed me. And not for the first time. If you don't follow my orders then you are against me."

_That is a bit extreme,_ Kenna thought as she tried to work out a way to calm the King down. But her diplomatic intentions were for nought.

Stannis's next words echoed around the spacious chamber with ease, "Take her."

_What the fuck_, Kenna exclaimed in her head as she saw the Baratheon Kingsguards in front of her advance to her position and Lord Davos give her a sad look.

On instinct she took a few steps back and bumped into a heavily armoured chest. Golden hands wrapped around her arms and forced her to the floor. She looked behind the mercenary man that was manhandling her to see that her men were all on the end of a Golden Company sword point. Lord Royce had his hands raised as he tried to stare down the man resting his sword on his shoulder.

* * *

Tyrion could hardly believe what he was seeing. Stannis had completely turned on Kenna. The Arryn men were all relieved of their weaponry by the Golden Company men and made to imitate their Lady's kneeling position on the floor.

"What is going on?" Tommen squeaked from Tyrion's right.

"It appears that King Stannis has had enough of Lady Kenna's machinations and insolence," Tyrion murmured back as he watched Stannis walk down the steps, past the still sitting Lady Melisandre to stand right in front of a still struggling Kenna.

"Stop," Stannis commanded.

Surprisingly Kenna obeyed, stopping her efforts to break free from the man holding her and simply looked up at the stone-faced King with a look a pure outrage.

"I did not wish for this outcome but I am the King of the Seven Kingdoms and all my subjects will obey my commands."

"If you think I will marry you after this you are mistaken," Kenna shot up at him.

"You would have made an unreliable and unruly Queen. I have decided to pursue another."

Kenna followed the shift in Stannis's gaze to see Sansa standing stiffly between two Baratheon men.

_Sansa, when had she entered the room?_ From the bewildered look on her face she had known nothing of Stannis's intensions. _Stannis hasn't got any better with proposals,_ Kenna joked to herself.

"Besides," Stannis continued, "Your disloyalty stains you. You will share the same fate as your husband now."

"You are going to execute me?" Kenna exclaimed.

"You are a traitor, you will die like a traitor," Stannis said coldly.

Lord Royce attempted to rise at that statement but he was battered back down to the floor.

Lord Davos appeared at Stannis's shoulder, "I am truly sorry my Lady. I warned you that our King was unforgiving and just."

Since there was no longer the need for decorum and diplomacy Kenna let her tongue go,

"You didn't say he was stupid and had the mental capacity of two fucking wooden planks. Were you born an idiot your Grace or did Robert batter you in the head too much when you were children?

Stannis's face twitched at the insults Kenna was throwing at him but his restraint kept his hands by his side. If he were a lesser man they might had flown towards Kenna's face.

"I can see why Robert liked you. Fierce, reckless, and arrogant. If you were born a man you might have been his twin," Stannis said staring into her deep blue eyes.

"No, I would never have let myself get that fat," Kenna chuckled back.

Stannis cocked his head; those weren't the words of someone about to be executed.

* * *

"Take her to the square in front of the Great Sept of Baelor and prepare her for execution," Stannis barked, "Take the Lannister's as well. It is time for justice to be served."

The Golden Company man behind her hauled her to her feet. She looked past Stannis to make eye contact with Commander Strickland. She nodded her head slightly.

Stannis caught the movement and looked back at Commander Strickland who was only a few steps away from his position, in between him and his Kingsguard. He had promised the man all the riches onboard the _Golden Wind _if he would stay in King's Landing and fight for him. Commander Strickland was his man.

The Golden Company man reached Stannis and Kenna. He gave Kenna a toothy smile. And in a blink of the eye he had his short dagger at Stannis's throat and spun the King so he was facing the Baratheon Kingsguard and Lord Davos.

"Lower you weapons or you will have to find another King to serve," bellowed the blond man.

The Baratheon men present in the Throne room complied with the order with some encouragement from Lord Davos who was looking at Kenna in absolute shock at the turn of events.

The Golden Company men who had been incapacitating the Arryn soldiers were now handing back their weapons and rounding up the Baratheon men, Lord Davos included.

Kenna gave Lord Royce a reassuring smile as the elder Lord returned to her side. She tapped the shoulder of Lord Strickland who again spun with Stannis still in his grasp to face her.

"Did you think you had the Golden Company in your pocket?" Kenna said not trying to hide her grin, "Did you think I wouldn't notice a famous smuggler disappearing for a few days while a ship carrying half of the gold of the Westerlands floated off the coast of King's Landing?"

"The Golden Wind is in Baratheon hands," Davos stated loudly to Lord Strickland. "We have the money and we hold the contract with you."

"You _held_ a contract with the Golden Company," Commander Strickland replied, "The moment King Stannis sat down on the Iron Throne we fulfilled it and became the owners of the _Golden Wind_."

"If you are taking the _Golden Wind_ as payment, why are you following Lady Kenna's orders?"

"Because Lord Davos," Kenna interjected, "I drew up a contract of my own with Commander Strickland. Fight for me, vanquish my enemies, help my allies, and I will rival the sum you got for sieging King's Landing. That is what I asked for and that is what we agreed."

"How are you going to pay them?" Davos asked pushing the issue of finance knowing that it was the only reason why the Golden Company was now under Kenna's command.

Kenna gave Davos a knowing smile and projected her voice around the Throne room, "The Westerlands have their mines, the Reach their crops but the Vale has lucrative trade contracts with Essos. The coffers at the Eyrie practically overflow with coin. I will have no issue paying the Golden Company for the contract they now hold with me."

"The Vale isn't under your control," Davos desperately pointed out.

"Not yet. But I am the Warden of the East, Lady of the Eyrie. It will be mine again."

* * *

"Your father would be ashamed of you," Stannis spat at Kenna from behind the blade resting at his throat.

"My father valued peace, prosperity, and stability. I endeavour to bring all three concepts back to the Seven Kingdoms. But I made a mistake in thinking you were the man to provide those conditions."

"I am the rightful King," Stannis bellowed.

"You couldn't even unite the Stormlands behind you so it was a fool's hope to think you could unite the entirety of Westeros in peace," Kenna said shaking her head more at herself than at Stannis.

"Your greatest victory, the taking of King's Landing from the bastard boy king, wasn't even your victory. It was mine," Kenna pointed to the Iron Throne, "You thought by sitting on that bloody chair you would control King's Landing. You were never in control of this fucking city. I was."

Kenna placed her face so close to Stannis's that the blade at his neck nearly touched her's, "The problem with you is that you think you are entitled to my loyalty because you are the rightful King. I would rather have a good king than the rightful one. When I bow down and my forehead touches the floor, it will be because someone _better _than myself stands before me. You aren't better than _me_, you aren't even my equal."

Kenna leaned back away from Stannis who had chosen to remain silent throughout Kenna's tirade, "Put King Stannis in the Black Cells, and Lord Davos please ensure that the Baratheon men don't put up a fight. It would be a shame to have to kill what little remains of the once proud Baratheon army."

Commander Strickland pushed Stannis towards the exit as his men did the same with the rest of the Baratheon men and Lady Melisandre who seemed to be in a dazed as if her mind was elsewhere.

Kenna turned to Lord Royce, "See to Lady Sansa."

Lord Royce dipped his head before heading towards the lone redhead.

Kenna looked up at the empty Iron Throne then turned her head to her left to see three sets of green eyes following her every move.

* * *

"Do you think she wants it?" Jamie asked his brother.

"If she does now is the time to take it," Tyrion quickly said back.

"Does this mean we aren't going to get executed?" Tommen asked hopefully still confused by the entire situation and what had happened.

"I wouldn't say that quite yet," Tyrion replied as Kenna started to walk up the steps leading to the Throne.

Sansa and Lord Royce broke their conversation to see Kenna sit upon the Throne.

Kenna noticed the concern in the corner of Lord Royce's eyes as she brushed her hands along the arms of the formidable chair, "Relax Yohn, the Weirwood chair is far more comfortable and the Throne room in the Eyrie has a much better view."

After a few more seconds of caressing the Throne and looking around the enormous chamber Kenna pushed herself off it and walked down towards the three captured Lannisters.

Kenna ignored her husband and good-brother in favour of addressing Tommen, "How old are you?"

"Thirteen," came the quiet answer.

"Robin and my nephew are around the same age," Kenna stated thoughtfully. "I want you to know that nothing that I have done against your family has been personal. _Except cutting Cersei, _Kenna amended in her head but the young boy in front of her didn't need to know that.

"I just want to return to my home, to the Eyrie," Kenna said sincerely.

Tommen didn't utter a word in reply, not knowing how he should respond.

Tyrion spoke the question that was on everyone's minds, "What are you going to do now?"

At that moment a short, jolly looking man rushed over to Kenna taking away her attention from Tyrion. The man had a rolled-up letter in his hand.

"Lord Grafton?" Kenna asked with her hand outstretched.

"Lord Tywin has responded," the Vale Lord replied breathing heavily as he handed over the letter.

Kenna looked from the letter to Tyrion, "What I do next depends on your father."

_Who bloody knows then,_ Tyrion moaned as he watched the victorious woman walk away from him, reading his father's written words.


	47. For the Realm

* * *

Next Day _…_

**Lannister camp, near the Walls of King's Landing, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Arryn) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Kevan rushed through the tent flap, "It is time."

"Mmm," Tywin grunted as he lifted himself from behind his desk, subverting the stabbing pain he felt in his stomach at the movement into a single-minded focus on what he was going to say to Stannis's chosen messenger.

"Are you ready? Kevan asked and upon receiving one of his brother's notorious icy glares he clarified his concern, "You've been stabbed and your daughter was the one to do it. I would be remiss in my duties as your brother if I did not even ask the question."

"I will handle it," Tywin replied knowing Kevan had only his best interests in mind, "Who has Stannis sent to receive my surrender?"

"Lady Kenna," Kevan said bluntly as the memories of being captured by the said Lady at Casterly Rock clouded his feelings on the woman. "And she is alone."

Tywin's face scrunched up in thought, _Why would Stannis send Lady Kenna and not his Hand? And why did she come alone?_

* * *

Tywin and Kevan watched as Kenna elegantly jumped off her horse and handed the reins to the Lannister guard that had been escorting her. She was indeed all alone.

Tywin appreciated the courage it took for a woman to ride into an enemy camp full of men on her own but he knew there was a reason for her confidence. If harm came to her, harm would come to his family and by accepting Kenna's offered terms by raven earlier he had already shown he wasn't willing for that to happen.

The Vale Lady approached them, throwing a glance around her at the many rows of tents that now surrounded her.

"My Lord, Ser Kevan," Kenna greeted them as she walked towards them. "An impressive camp, shame it will all have to be packed up."

Tywin didn't acknowledge the gloating woman's words as he spoke to his brother, "Make sure we are not disturbed and no one will overhear us."

Kevan gave his older brother a slight nod and walked past Lady Kenna, giving her a hard stare before he started shouting some orders at the armoured audience that had gathered at the sight of a lady in the camp.

"My Lady," Tywin said as he turned to stride back inside his own tent.

_This is going to be fun,_ Kenna thought as she looked at the Lion Lord's back disappearing into the tent.

* * *

Once Kenna had pushed aside the tent flap herself, she saw the central room was dominated by a large oak table and Tywin had seated himself at the head of it.

Kenna smiled at his early mind games. She walked to the other end of the table and sat down. The message was clear.

_We are equals._

"Are you not going to offer me some wine my Lord? I am after all your guest," Kenna said as she sunk back into her chair.

Tywin's hands twitched on the surface of the table and his eyes went to the centre of the table where a wine jug and cups were placed but he didn't move, "Why did you want this meeting to take place at my camp and why did you come alone?

Kenna smirked to herself and a warm feeling settled in her stomach, she really did enjoy being the one with all the answers especially if the person asking was Tywin Lannister.

"Someone had to see you bend the knee and turn your army around. You certainly weren't going to go to Stannis and he was never going to come here so here I am," Kenna said with her hands outstretched while hiding the power shift that had occurred in King's Landing behind clever words, "As for being alone in your war camp, if you decide to kill me now it wouldn't really matter how many men protected me, they would just have been unnecessary casualties."

Still not satisfied Tywin continued to push, "Why are you here and not Stannis's Hand?"

"Unfortunately, Lord Davos is no long the Hand of the King."

"What, you are Stannis's Hand?" Tywin asked with an undertone of disbelief. There had never been a female Hand before but Tywin could imagine Kenna in that position and doing it well too.

"No but I am the one that needs to see you bend the knee and I am getting impatient," Kenna replied enjoying being the one demanding something and not the one giving in this scenario.

At Kenna's words Tywin's eyes narrowed and his posture straightened. A smart proud man was still a proud man.

"We have already agreed the terms of my surrender but I will only bend the knee to the man that sits on the Iron Throne, no other." _Not to you, not here,_ where the unspoken words.

"That might be problematic," Kenna replied as an ecstatic smile engulfed her entire face.

_I am missing something,_ Tywin realised before he sought to rectify his lack of knowledge, "Why?"

Smugness dripped from Kenna's next words, "Because a man no longer sits on the Iron Throne."

* * *

A thinking silence swept over the table as Tywin broke eye contact with Kenna to stare at his now steepled hands.

Kenna savored the complete look of concentration on the Lord's face as he set about deciphering Kenna's words. But she enjoyed the moment of comprehension that struck Tywin's face even more, when he worked out why she was really here, in his tent, alone, waiting for him to declare his fealty.

Tywin brought his eyes once more to hers, "You didn't come to watch me bend the knee for Stannis. You came to watch me bend the knee to you."

Kenna drummed her fingers lightly on the table top in bated anticipation, "Yes, and I am waiting."

Tywin's mind spun to catch up with the drastically changed situation he found himself in. Kenna had taken control of King's Landing from Stannis meaning she now held his House's future in her hands. But his objective hadn't changed whether it was Stannis or Kenna who held the capital.

"You will keep the same terms as before?"

Instead of replying Kenna stood and went to the centre of the table. She started to pour out two cups of wine. She carried the cups over to Tywin and offered the seated Lord one.

He took the cup from her grasp, their fingers touching for a moment before he immediately brought the metal cup to his lips.

Kenna didn't return to her seat but leaned back against the table so that her right leg was almost touching Tywin's right knee.

Kenna sipped from the cup as Tywin awaited her answer.

"Tommen will be sent to the Wall, Jamie will stay by my side as my husband, and I have half a mind to make Tyrion my Hand," Kenna said with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes, "I have no ill will towards the Tyrells but Margaery will remain in King's Landing to ensure it stays that way."

"You will let my family live if I bend the knee," Tywin said slowly, seeking clarity with the new person who held the key to his descendants' lives."

"That is what I offered you on behalf of Stannis and it is what I am willing to do if you surrender to me now."

"I hesitate dear good-daughter," Kenna smirked, _he can't say your Grace yet,_ "to accept any more promises and words of trust. You still haven't delivered on your last promise to me."

Kenna's blood turned cold at Tywin's well aimed words. She looked into her cup and swirled the liquid around as she deliberated what her honour was worth in the eyes of the man sitting before her.

She was an Arryn. Honour meant everything. Her time in King's Landing may have tainted her view of the world but the upbringing she received in the Vale, the love of Lord Royce, and adoration of the people in the Vale would always push her back onto the path of the honourable no matter how much she wandered into the bloody undergrowth either side of it.

Kenna finished her cup of wine in two large gulps and forcefully placed it back on the table. She closed her eyes before taking in a deep breath to centre herself, "An Arryn always keeps their word my Lord. I have fulfilled my side of the promise."

Kenna heard the scrapping of a chair being pushed backwards and Tywin's hand gripped her chin in a firm hold. She opened her eyes to see Tywin's flecked gold green ones searching her face for any sign of deception.

"You are carrying my child?"

"I am."

"You think it will be a boy?"

"It doesn't matter if it is a boy or not. As I remember that day at the Eyrie when we made our promise to each other you explicitly said 'first born _son_ by _Jamie_'. You altered the terms of our promise so it is only fair I can make an alteration myself if the child is a girl."

"If you sit on the Iron Throne then _your _child will be heir to the Seven Kingdoms not Casterly Rock," Tywin noted with an undertone of frustration.

"You should have chosen your words more carefully then my Lord," Kenna snarled as she broke Tywin's hold on her chin with a twist of her neck. He let his hand fall to his side but his face remained mere inches away from Kenna's as he loomed over her.

"My son will be King," Tywin murmured.

Whether he was referring to Jaime or the unborn child in Kenna's belly she was unsure but she took this moment to reclaim control of the situation.

"Kneel."

Tywin's eyes snapped back to Kenna's. There was cold fury in them at being commanded in such an abrupt manner but there was also an acceptance of defeat mingled with reluctant respect.

The proud Lord kept Kenna's gaze as he wordlessly lowered himself to the floor, only to break it when he bent his head.

Kenna basked in the image of the Great Lion of the West kneeling before her but it was only a partial submission.

"There is more to bending the knee than the action of bending a knee my Lord," Kenna stated in a self-assured tone.

She heard a strained growl come from the Lion Lord's mouth. She couldn't see his face but she imagined the kneeling Lord had an annoyed look on his face to go along with the tensed muscles on his neck.

"I Lord Tywin Lannister, Lord of Casterly Rock and Warden of the West, bend the knee to Queen Kenna Lannister, First of her name, Queen of the Andals and the First Men, Protector of the Realm."

Kenna let the words dance and fade in the air around her but she knew that they would live forever in her memory with the image of the most powerful man in Westeros kneeling before her. Shame this new power balance wasn't going to last.

"This is why you make a better leader than Stannis," Kenna said down at Tywin who lifted his head in a questioning manner, "Because you can adapt to the situation and understand what you need to do to get what you want for the betterment of _your house_. You can compromise for the betterment of _the Realm_."

Tywin's eyebrows furrowed even more as he shifted his head to look at his chosen Queen.

"Rise Lord Tywin."

As he did so Kenna noticed the slight wince he made as he returned to his full height.

_He is injured,_ Kenna noted to herself but kept quiet.

"Now that you have honoured me with the knowledge that you would have me as your Queen I must regretfully decline to be so," Kenna said while turning away from Tywin to walk back to the other end of the table.

A heavy hand landed on her shoulder, right over where her now fully healed scar was, stopping her and spinning her back to face Tywin, "What do you mean?"

"I don't want to be Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, I just wanted to see if you would bend the knee to me. If you would submit to me as I had submitted to you."

"Stannis is he still-"

"Rotting in the Black Cells? Yes, he is. And yes, I still control the fate of your house."

"I tire of your games," Tywin growled as he walked down Kenna so her back pressed firmly against the edge of the table.

"That is a shame my Lord because I believe that we are all playing a game. A game which starts with our first breath and only ends with our last," Kenna replied craning her neck upwards to keep eye contact with the Lord cornering her against the table.

"I tire of your riddles too," Tywin vented as his grasp on her shoulder intensified.

Kenna smiled at how riled up Tywin had gotten, having never been able to crack his calm mask with so much success before.

This wasn't the reaction Tywin was looking for. He shoved Kenna down onto the table so her feet no longer touched the floor and her back was flat against the tables surface, ignoring the burning sensation in his midriff as he pushed.

One hand enclosed around Kenna's throat, tangling with the golden lion pendant chain that rested there, while his other hand that had been on Kenna's shoulder was now splayed on the table for support.

"Enough pretty words, tell me why you are really here and why I should let you walk back out of my camp," the Lion said showing his teeth.

Kenna felt Tywin's legs in-between hers and cursed that fact she had lost control of the situation, "I am here to trade Kingdoms."

Tywin peered down at her keeping the pressure on her throat steady, "Go on."

"I will give you King's Landing and Tommen if you give me the Vale independence and a truce."

_Ah there it is,_ Tywin though as he looked down on the trapped woman carrying his child, _she wants to be a Queen, just not the Queen._

"You have the Iron Throne at your mercy. Why not take it? Why not simply take the Eyrie and claim Vale independence like the Northmen did?"

"Because I want peace," Kenna breathed out as if she hadn't vocalised the word before.

"Peace?"

"Stannis's reign would have proffered the instability in Westeros and fuelled the war for years to come. My reign might have fared better but I have no desire to take something I cannot keep and I do not want to stand between the Iron Throne and dragon fire," Kenna reasoned as if she was reconfirming the ideas in her head.

"You fear the Targaryen girl?"

Kenna bristled at the implication that she feared anyone. She feared no living person but three fully-grown dragons were a different matter.

Her father had told her how the Eyrie had fallen during their ancestor Shara Arryn's regency and there was a reason that the fearsome Shara Arryn had bent the knee to Visenya Targaryen all those years ago in the name of her son, Ronnel Arryn, the last King of Mountain and Vale. Shara Arryn was not a suicidal idiot and Kenna thanked her ancestor every day that she had bent the knee or she wouldn't exist.

But the Targaryens had over generations shown that they were unstable leaders prone to flights of destruction and illogical acts that sent the realm into catastrophic turmoil every few decades.

Kenna wanted to rule the Vale as its Queen yes, she was ambitious, but she also saw Targaryen rule over the entirety of Westeros as a disaster waiting to happen.

How many people throughout the Targaryen dynasty had lost lives to a mad decision by a Targaryen monarch?

In Kenna's head a Targaryen rule was a disaster that could be potentially avoided if she worked with the man whose hand was currently wrapped around her throat. The Dornish managed to resist Aegon and his dragons, why couldn't they resist Daenerys Targaryen and her three dragons if they worked together?

Kenna placed two hands on Tywin's wrist that was supporting the hand at her throat, 'She is coming with three dragons. I don't think I need to remind you what happened last time a Targaryen crossed the Narrow Sea with three dragons."

Tywin let out an exhausted grunt, "Varys was right to see you as a threat just as you are right to see the Targaryen girl as a threat. When she comes, she will come for all _Seven_ Kingdoms. She won't leave the Vale untouched if you resist her."

"I know. The only chance for your family to retain the Iron Throne and for me to rule an independent Vale is if we work together in peace as partners," seeing Tywin's unconvinced face above her she added, "I am sure Littlefinger and Joffrey's hired assassins would agree that we make a formidable team when we are working together and not against each other."

"You think that if we work together, we might be able to defeat three dragons?" Tywin relaxed some tension in the hand around Kenna's throat but not enough to release her.

"Dragons are not invincible, hard to kill but not invincible and thanks to her father and brother's actions she is not a welcomed pretender to the Throne among the nobles and there will not be much support for her in Westeros from the commoners either as she will be seen by many as a foreign invader with a foreign army with a foreign way of ruling."

What are you proposing?" Tywin questioned as he removed his hand from her throat and took two steps backwards away from Kenna allowing her the space to upright herself on the table and sit on its edge with her legs dangling of the side.

"You will sign a declaration stating I am the Queen over the Mountain and the Vale, and that the Crown and the Vale are at peace. I will then take the Golden Company, my men, Lady Sansa and my husband with me to the Eyrie. I will release Tommen, Margaery and Tyrion when you have secured King's Landing."

"And Stannis and his men?" Tywin questioned as he walked over to a desk in the corner of the room.

"They will be yours to deal with when I leave King's Landing," Kenna replied watching Tywin return to the table, sit in his original seat at the head of the table and start writing on a piece of parchment.

"And how will I know to attack King's Landing?" Tywin inquired while concentrating on what he was writing.

Kenna slide of the table and walked to stand beside Tywin's shoulder, "The same way you did last time. The gates will be wide open for you."

"Fine, we have an agreement then," Tywin announced as he leaned back in the chair and presented Kenna with the piece of parchment he had been writing on.

Kenna took the offered piece of parchment and started to read. It was an official letter with the Hand of the King's seal on it declaring Kenna as the Queen over a Crown recognised independent Vale as well as a truce between the Crown and the Vale sealed already by the marriage between Jaime Lannister and Kenna Lannister.

Since she had gotten what she wanted Kenna was about to dismiss herself when Kevan came charging into the tent with his sword drawn. He stepped into the room with the point of his blade tracking Kenna as she moved away from Tywin, further into the back of the tent.

* * *

"Brother?" Tywin asked sternly demanding to know why his meeting had been disturbed and in such an aggressive manner from his usually calm little brother.

"She has done something Tywin. Cersei is missing as well as Prince Oberyn," Kevan said accusingly at Kenna.

"I am not involved in that. If I was do you really think I would put myself in the middle of it all?" Kenna said in a biting tone as she watched the point of the sword threatening her float a few metres away from her.

Tywin ground his teeth together. He knew instantly that Prince Oberyn's escape was Cersei's doing. In a twisted way he scolded himself for not see this possibility as now the famed Red Viper and his daughter had one thing in common.

They both hated him with a burning passion for causing the death of a loved one.

"Let her pass Kevan, she has nothing to do with their escape," Tywin commanded with his usual authority restored to his posture and voice. "We have concluded our arrangement and I expect to see the gates of King's Landing open soon."

Kevan looked shocked but he obeyed his brother and let Kenna pass him.

"What now?" Kevan asked as the tent flap swung back after Kenna's swift exit.

"Who was guarding Cersei?"

"The Kettleblack brother's," Kevan answered as he sheathed his drawn sword but maintain a worried look on his face. "They are also missing so we presume they helped Prince Obeyrn escape and took Cersei captive."

_Captive, more like mastermind,_ Tywin fumed while not disagreeing with his brother. Tywin didn't want to know how Cersei had gained their loyalty he only wanted her back.

"Send out our best trackers, they will be heading to Dorne," Tywin deduced before giving Kevan a cold glare, "I want my daughter and Prince Oberyn back."

* * *

_A few hours later …_

**Somewhere south of the Lannister camp, South Crownlands**

* * *

Prince Oberyn urged his horse onwards at a neck breaking speed as his three companions struggled to keep up with him. They had been riding for hours non-stop and now the darkness was impeding their progress.

Oberyn slowed his horse down to a trot, then a walk and waited for his four saviors to catch up.

"Why are we stopping? Lord Lannister's men will be chasing us," Osmund Kettleblack grunted from his horse.

"Very true but our horses are spent so we and they need to rest. It will take us a few more days of hard riding to reach the boarder to Dorne. I do not intend to walk the rest of the way."

"I agree," Cersei said behind exhausted pants.

"Fine," Osfryd Kettleblack rumbled as he dismounted from his horse to start setting up a few blankets on the ground. The third Kettleblack brother and youngest of the five strong riding party remained silent but started to help his brother with setting up the camp.

After a few more minutes fumbling in the darkness all five escapees where under their respective covers underneath the starry sky but only two of them were going to have an easy sleep.

* * *

Cersei woke to a wet sensation dripping down her back. _If that is Osmund Kettleblack I am going to kill him_, Cersei thought venomously remembering what she had promised the man if he and his brothers had aided in her escape.

Cersei rolled over to come face to face with a still sleeping Osmund Kettleblack but she knew instantly something was wrong. The man was too silent, too unmoving then her hands felt wet. She looked down at them. They were covered in sticky blood, it was all coming from a slash in his throat.

Cersei yelped and scrambled fast as she could to get away from the dead man. She threw the blanket off her as she shuffled backwards.

Movement caught her eye.

She saw Oberyn Martell with a hand round Osfryd Kettleblack's mouth as he finished jamming a knife into the knight's neck. His younger brother lay flat a few meters away, his throat too was covered in blood.

Cersei watched frozen to the spot as Osney Kettleblack died before her very eyes. Oberyn looked from his recent victim to Cersei.

He read her mind, "Don't worry Lady Cersei. I don't intent on killing you too."

"W .. Why not?" Cersei stuttered realizing she had no protection now. She was all alone with a dangerous man who had a notorious hatred of her family.

"Because we both want the same thing and we can help each other get it," Oberyn said as he approached Cersei.

The mention of killing her father snapped her out of her daze and she stood up while wiping her bloodied hands on her red dress, "I will help you kill my father but Jaime and my children will remain unharmed."

Oberyn practically skipped the last few steps towards Cersei, "You have my word that when the Dragon Queen comes your brother and children will not burn as long as you help deliver Lord Tywin's head to me and the Iron Throne to Danerys Targayen."

Cersei wordlessly nodded.

Oberyn smiled and clapped his hands together as he walked towards the five tied up horses, "Marvelous, we better get going. I wouldn't want this interesting partnership to be cut short by your father's men."

"Allow me," Oberyn said joyfully as he held out a hand to help Cersei onto her horse.

Cersei reluctantly accepted his help as she pulled herself onto the horse.

She knew what she had done and what she was going to do would be detrimental to House Lannister but she had done enough for the family name and legacy all she cared about now was her children first then Jaime.

* * *

_Same time …_

**Somewhere in the North wilderness, A days ride west of the Dreadfort**

* * *

Arya sat with her eyes closed listening to the surrounding woods prepare for the coming winter. Her odd party of the Hound and Yara Greyjoy were now within a day's walk of the Dreadfort and seeing Robb again. She knew that Jon would be with Robb as well and she couldn't wait to see her half-brother again. To show him what she could do with Needle now.

Arya allowed her mind to float around the forest to centre herself and think on what the future may hold. She heard the birds singing their songs, the gentle pitter patter of small mammals scurrying along the woods floor and the sound of tree leaves rustling in the wind.

All were expected sounds to hear when sitting on the floor of a forest. But one sound stuck out like a sore thumb.

The snapping of a twig.

She opened her eyes and rolled just in time as a couple of arrows lodged themselves where she had been sitting. She didn't have time to see who her would be attackers were. She knew who they were.

Arya sprinted back towards her camp where she found the Hound and Yara sitting around the fireplace. They needed no words from the sprinting lady to know what had happened.

They had been found by Ramsey's men.


	48. Fate and Destiny

* * *

_A few seconds later …._

**Somewhere in the North wilderness, A days ride west of the Dreadfort **

* * *

Arya sprinted towards the burning fireplace; she didn't have to yell a warning. Yara Greyjoy stood on the balls of her feet with a short sword in her hand as her eyes darted back and forth on the foliage Arya had just burst through. The Hound was already wielding his long sword in front of him as Arya reached the fireplace with bow in hand. She turned to see a line of six Bolton men had followed her out of the dense forest, none of then carried a long bow or a crossbow though.

Yara and the Hound readied themselves to engage the six men in close combat as Arya danced on the fringes. She kept her distance and used her bow to take out the first two men in quick succession as they ran towards her two travelling companions. They stood no chance as her arrows ripped through their torsos and felled them before they could even launch a single attack.

The rest of the remaining hunting party reached the fireplace and concentrated on dodging the swift attacks coming from Yara and the arcing swings from the Hound while also keeping as close to the two warriors as possible to ward of Arya's deadly accuracy. They had learned from their fallen companions' mistake.

The Hound's sword found its mark after a few more moments and with a brutal swipe he tore through one astonished man's torso while Yara's pinpoint accuracy drove her short sword into the eye of another gruff brown haired solider who equally had not anticipated his death.

Yara grinned as she enjoyed her kill, she couldn't decide if these men were brave bastards or stupid fools but they had paid the iron price either way.

Yara out of the corner of her eye saw another Bolton man with a helmet charging at her as she tried to dislodge her sword from the man's brain in front of her but it wouldn't budge so she jumped away from the standing corpse, leaving her short sword embedded to avoid to onrushing attack.

She rolled on the muddy forest floor as she drew her spare dagger from her belt. She saw the man above her about to pounce but he dropped to the floor with an arrow protruding through his neck. As his limp body thudded into the ground his helmet tumbled as well and stopped to rest by the head that was currently sheathing Yara's short sword.

Yara nodded slightly to Arya in acknowledgement and gathered herself to her full height to see the Hound finishing off the last remaining man by shoving him to the floor and bashing his skull in with his armored fists.

Yara pulled her short sword from the dead soldier's face and replaced it cautiously back on her belt along with her dagger as her eyes scanned the forest passageway from where the soldiers appeared from. The Hound was doing the same thing as he stood up from his brutalized victim but didn't sheath his sword. Arya had stilled and was straining her ears to hear anything and everything.

Suddenly the young lady spun around and a second later two large black hounds came flying out of the bushes on the other side of the forest from where the Bolton men had appeared.

Arya realised after she had planted her feet and fired her first arrow at the savage looking hounds that they were just a distraction.

But it was too late.

She felt a burning sensation in the pit of her stomach and looked down to see a well-crafted arrow poking out of her.

The Bolton men and hounds had all been a distraction to get Arya into a certain position and the tactic had worked.

Arya survival instincts took over as she forgot about her bow and hurled herself over a nearby log by the fire place to avoid any follow-up attacks. A crunching thud on the other side of the log confirmed her choice of movement.

The next few seconds in Arya's mind were calm and quiet as she controlled her pain and panic. Her hands went to the arrow piercing her flesh and her thoughts focused on the faces of all those still left on her kill list. Even if one arrow for every name on her list had struck her she doubted it would stop her rampage to cross off every name on her list.

Such was her will to avenge the wrongs she had seen and endured.

She pulled the arrow out with a high-pitched scream, ignoring the violent sounds behind her. She tore off her sleeve's cloth and wrapped it around the increasingly bloody wound. She would need to seal it if it was going to heal.

_The Hound is going to love that,_ Arya thought as she remembered her old travelling companion's reaction to fire.

She took a few deep breaths and then peeked over the log, beyond the arrow stuck in the felled tree trunk on the other side to where her head had been resting.

She saw the two unmoving lumps of black fur that had wanted to tear of face off only moments earlier.

_Good,_ Arya thought. Ramsey's breed of hounds were especially vicious and psychotic much like their owner.

Her gaze followed the bllod trail to see a deathly pale dark-haired lady pinned to a tree by the Hound's hands around her neck. It appeared she was still flailing in his grip, fighting for air. A bow was discarded near her dangling feet.

Yara seemed to have bored of the spectacle and was swiftly making her way to the now unhidden Stark Lady.

"Where did it get you?" she interrogated, looking for the wound.

"Stomach," Arya grunted back.

"Good, you will still be able to walk then," Yara said gruffly moving Arya's hands away from the wound so she could inspect the bandage and the opening.

At Yara's silence Arya prodded, "So?"

"It needs to be sealed now; I hope you aren't squeamish," the seaworthy woman replied pragmatically.

"Do you think I am squeamish," Arya shot back.

Yara grinned and placed the tip of her short sword in the still burning fire. She liked it when a woman showed her grit.

"What the fuck do you think you are doing?" roared the Hound who had finished choking the last breath out of the bow wielding north woman so that her body now lay by the roots of the weirwood tree she had just been pinned to.

"You excel at giving wounds not healing them," Yara said sharply, "so I suggest you leave this to me."

The Hound, knowing what Yara had said was true, gave Arya a bland stare that did little to hide the slight worry behind his eyes and huffed, "Don't die on me little lady."

"I am not a lady," Arya barked back. "And it will take more than one arrow to kill me."

"Prove it," the Hound challenged as he saw Yara take her sword out of the fire.

* * *

_A day later …._

**Black Cells, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Arryn) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Kenna looked at her captivated audience.

All four sets of eyes had been stuck on her since she had entered the room and taken up her standing position in the middle, like a performer would on their stage. She exuded her confidence in her stilled form, roughly two meters away from the door behind her and maintained the same distance with the three cells that surrounded her on her other sides.

In front of her, behind rusted iron bars, was a gloomy Stannis. He stood in the corner of his cell still as a statue partially covered in shadow, brooding as his eyes bore holes into Kenna's.

The man had only been King for a few weeks.

Kenna chuckled to herself, _Did King Stannis Baratheon first of his name have the shortest reign in history? _

He certainty wasn't a graceful loser. Kenna tried to remember if she had acted with any sort of grace when the Eyrie had been taken from her. Headbutts, an attempted strangulation, fulfilled threats of violence, and flipping a table came to mind.

Graceful wasn't quite the word to describe those actions she decided but a sense of warmth filled her at those now fond recollections.

Nearly all those that had betrayed her that day were dead and she intended to make the traitorous living join the judged dead.

Kenna looked somberly at Stannis nearly replicating the stoic King's countenance. She had survived her fall but she doubted Stannis would survive his.

The only advantage of being a woman in this world Kenna had concluded was that she was continually being underestimated. An advantage she knew she would not enjoy again.

When she had been dragged to King's Landing she had been seen as pliable, naive, easy to manipulate and control, a broodmare for the Lannister legacy while Stannis had, since the beginning of the War of Five Kings and a Queen, been seen as the true threat, the rightful heir to his brother's crown, hard as iron, a seasoned battle commander with the defiance to never ever give up or alter his course of action until he got what he wanted.

_How wrong they all had been_, she thought as she flexed her wrists, sheathing and unsheathing her hidden blades in the process so that no doubt all four sets of eyes had gotten a good view of the gleaming blades.

It was crystal clear to the nobles inside and outside of the walls of King's Landing who the true threat was now, and who had always been the true threat but now it was too late to correct the misjudgment.

Now they were all at her mercy as she had been at theirs on the day the Eyrie fell.

* * *

Next to the deposed King's cell was a fellow fallen King and his Queen.

Margaery and Tommen both sat on a small cot at the back of their cell with their hands intertwined. It was hard to tell who was comforting who but Kenna guessed Margaery was the one in control of the situation and that probably wouldn't change throughout their marriage.

While Tommen remained committed to staring at the floor Margaery flew off the cot as she noticed the shift in focus towards her, unable to keep her temper contained. Her pale and delicate hands came to tightly grip the bars trapping her as she focused all her poisonous attention on Kenna.

"You were my friend," she spat accusingly.

"Friend is such a well-used word in King's Landing but it rarely has the same meaning when used anywhere else. I always thought allies was a much more fitting description of what we were," Kenna replied matching Margaery's cutting glare with a simmering playfulness in her tone, knowing she had truly got the better of not just the dethroned Queen but everyone currently in the room.

"Allies," Margaery exclaimed, still venting her frustration at her current predicament, "You took my crown from _me_. You stabbed me in the back when I have been nothing but kind to you."

Before Kenna could retort, the voice of the fourth prisoner echoed around the confined space.

"Ah you are wrong Queen Margaery," a surprisingly mellow and calm voice echoed around the confined space, "she stabbed you in the face, she didn't hide what she wanted or what she was doing. We all just conveniently ignored the fact that she was a conquered enemy out for revenge because we draped her in my House's colours and she warmed my _brother's_ bed. The only person she stabbed in the back was Stannis."

Kenna couldn't stop the exhale of a chuckle escaping her lips. Even now when he was imprisoned Lord Tyrion the Imp was still playing games and pushing her limits.

"Ah my _dear friend_, the Little Lion. I was wondering when I would hear your meows," Kenna looked over to the cell opposite Tommen and Margaery's but could only spy Tyrion's large shadow so she continued as she took a few steps towards the sound of Tyrion's voice, "In my defense, Stannis tried to betray me first. I simply saw it coming and took appropriate action."

"Appropriate action," Tyrion repeated slowly as his head suddenly appeared through the metal bars, "Is that what you call deposing my nephew and pissing of the two most powerful houses in Westeros in the process."

"I much prefer that situation to losing my head to Stannis's stubborn righteousness," Kenna looked back to Margaery and then beyond her to the still sitting Tommen, "Your incarceration in the Black Cells was never my true intention. It was just a consequence of trying to obtain my freedom. I bear you both no ill will."

"Ill will," Margaery snarled from behind the bars as her temper flared beyond her cage, "You have taken the Iron Throne you harlot and put us in the Black Cells."

At the imprisoned woman's words, Kenna thoughtfully looked at each cell. The only person who really had to be in the Black Cells was Stannis Baratheon. Tyrion, Tommen and Margaery could really be held in their own rooms but Kenna had wanted all of them to be here. It was important to her that these four prisoners would be found in this room in the Black Cells together as she had placed them because it sent a message to those smart enough to heed it.

_Kenna Lannister was a woman so powerful she could imprison two Kings and leave the Iron Throne wanting. _

And as much as she wanted to deny it her message had only _one_ intended recipient.

She had nothing left to prove to anyone but she was still playing the game, still moving the pieces forward, still playing against the same opponent and she couldn't resist basking in her latest victory. The Gods knew she had earned it.

* * *

Kenna returned her focus to the scowling woman before her, "I suppose someone so consumed with ambition can't understand when another doesn't covet the same thing as they do."

"You don't want the Iron Throne," Tyrion deciphered from her words.

Kenna turned back to face Tyrion, whose head still poked out between his cell's bars, "I told you once before that I had no designs on the Iron Throne. You didn't believe me then I know but my future actions will show that I am no liar."

Stannis snapped out of his brooding mood at Kenna's declaration, "You gave me the resources necessary to take the Iron Throne from Cersei's bastard, then you underhandedly ousted me just so you could … what ….. not take the crown for yourself."

Kenna smiled at Stannis's disbelieving tone, like a patient teacher would at their confused pupil, and shook her head slightly. When your entire life was built around power and climbing to the highest rug on the ladder and fed with the promises of destiny and ancient lineage it was impossible to understand why someone wouldn't reach as far as they could.

Well, Kenna had fallen off the ladder once, she had felt the pain of the landing and the humiliation of surviving. It had focused her mind on what she truly wanted; on what she knew she could handle.

"Oh, there is a crown _Lord_ Stannis, and there is a Throne I will sit on. It is just not made of Iron but Weirwood, Tommen Baratheon will sit on the Iron Throne again but he will command the Vale no more."

Kenna walked over to Margaery and Kenna noted that the fuming Lady didn't move a muscle at her incoming approach.

Kenna smirked; _she always was a hard bitch on the inside despite her flowery appearance. _

"King Tommen did you hear me?"

"Yes … yes …" Tommen stuttered at the commanding woman who was now less than a breaths distance from his wife's face, "But I don't understand."

"Stannis would plunge Westeros into more war and needless death. I am hoping you, with your Uncle's, Wife's and Grandfather's advice will bring stability and peace to the realm," Kenna enunciated clearly making sure the young man heard every word as Margaery's face softened at the mention of peace.

"You are handing King's Landing back to the Lannister's," Stannis snapped in utter disbelief, "Robert and Ned Stark would have been disappointed in you. You are a stain on your father's legacy."

Kenna didn't allow her face to show the hurt Stannis had managed to inflict with his well picked words. She had faced much more cutting remarks from more terrifying people but her father remained a sore point.

Her mind galloped through her insecurities and unspoken questions; _Would Jon Arryn have been proud of her? Would he have rejoiced in her revenge as she had? Would he have sacrificed so many fighting men and risked the Vale's future to satisfy a burning desire? _

Kenna was confident she knew all the answers except the first one. And that was the one that really mattered to her.

"They are all dust now so we will never really know their opinion on my actions," Kenna answered from behind darkening eyes, "but my father rebelled against his King just as I have, Ned killed for his sister just as I have, and your brother bathed in the blood of his fallen enemies just as I have."

"Your father was a man of honour-" Stannis thundered before Kenna slapped the metal bars of his cell to silence the coming rant.

"Yes, he was and he let your brother fuck around and bring Westeros to its knees. I loved Robert like a brother but he wasn't a good King. Neither were you. I am honorable Lord Stannis but I serve my people above all else not some man who sits on a pile of melted swords."

"If you think you will hold the Eyrie alone against the wrath of the Lannisters and Tyrells you are a bigger fool than you think I am," Stannis expounded not grasping the full picture before him.

"I don't intend to fight the Lannisters or the Tyrells. Once I leave King's Landing there will be peace between the Eyrie and the Crown," Kenna said as one hand patted the inside pocket where Tywin's peace treaty rested.

"You made a deal with my father," Tyrion deduced, as the entire situation and how it had been negotiated dawned on him. "What will happen to Jaime and Sansa?

"Yes, I did. Your marriage to Sansa is over and she will return to the North where she belongs while Jaime will go where ever I go. A husband's place is beside his wife don't you think?" Kenna said in a cheeky tone.

Tyrion bent his head at Kenna's humor, his brother seemed to be spending more and more time as a hostage, "And what of Stannis's remaining forces? Are you just going to let them run riot when you leave?"

"Don't be ridiculous, they are currently flooding out the Gates of King's Landing as we speak. They march for the Stormlands. Just like the rest of Westeros they have had enough of war. Now if you will excuse me," Kenna said with a twinkle in her eye, "I have a ship to catch and a Kingdom to claim."

Kenna turned around and made her way to the door but before she could lay a hand on the handle a cold and desolate voice stopped her.

"Wait."

Kenna turned around slowly to see Stannis had made his way to the bars of his cell, not touching them merely hovering a few inches behind them.

"Yes?" Kenna prodded.

Stannis seemed to fight with himself as the words he wanted to vocalize stuck in his throat. Whether it was pride or uncertainty, what he wanted to ask next seemed to physically pain him.

"Take Shireen with you," he managed to grind out, "My daughter doesn't deserve to suffer in King's Landing as a Lannister prisoner."

Kenna stayed where she was but fixed Stannis with a cold glare, "Demanding things of people comes easy to you but pleading for things seems to cause you great pain. Your daughter is already safely aboard the _Silent Storm_ with your man Ser Davos," at Stannis's surprised look Kenna elaborated, "You're right, your daughter shouldn't suffer for your actions and I have no desire to cause more turmoil than I need to. Despite what you may think I am not a monster."

Stannis rested his head on the bars of his cell, "I don't understand you. You destroy me utterly but ensure my daughter safe passage. You refuse the Iron Throne and give it back to those who despise you for taking it from them."

"For a man of such limited imagination I doubt you could fathom my goals and objectives or how I would achieve them," Kenna fiddled with the hem of her sleeves as her mind wandered, "You know I understood your brothers, Renly just wanted to be loved, Robert just wanted to fuck, fight or drink, but you I still have no idea what you really wanted. Yes, you wanted the Throne but why? For justice, revenge, or power? You killed your brother for it and ignored reason. Why?"

Stannis didn't bother to lift his head from the bars, "I thought it was my destiny to rule."

"Ah the Red Woman," Kenna muttered to herself, "Well she was right you did rule and you did sit on the Iron Throne."

"Where is she?" Stannis asked in a quiet tone.

"My men haven't found her yet," Kenna admitted with a bitter taste in her mouth.

"When they do ensure her head rests on a pike," Stannis growled finally seeing fault with his zealous trust in the Red Priestess.

"I think your Red Woman will have escaped the city by now but if I do come across her again, I will have her head either by silver or steel. Consider it a parting gift and an apology. This is not the end I would have wished for you or your family," Kenna confessed across the dank room. "The Gods will judge me for my actions I am sure but until I am dead I will do what I think is right for my people."

When no more words were offered by Stannis in response and the other cells remained eerily silent Kenna Lannister the could-be Queen of the Seven Kingdoms vanished through the door, leaving the four cell occupants to wait for either salvation or damnation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RIP
> 
> Myranda (The Hound Strangled her to death against the weirwood tree after she shot Arya with an arrow)
> 
> Yes, Ramsey's girlfriend bites the dust and he isn't going to be too happy when he finds out his favorite plaything is no longer available. I think she was a capable archer and is sadistic enough to sacrifice her hunting party to get one clean shot at killing a "Stark bitch" to retain Ramsey's attention.


	49. The Lone Stag

* * *

_A few hours later …._

**Black Cells, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Arryn) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Tyrion strained his ears to hear shouts in the distance and the pitter patter of marching feet.

His father's army was in the Red Keep, that meant Lady, _no Queen Kenna_, Tyrion corrected himself, had left with her fleet and that Stannis's fate was now all but certain.

Tyrion prodded his head through the bars of his cell to try to get a look at the last Baratheon brother.

All he saw was an unmoving shadow.

Tyrion smirked, that was all Stannis should have been to his family an unmoving shadow boxed in at Dragon Stone with his defeat at Blackwater Bay never to resurface. But to everyone's surprise he had resurfaced, with Kenna Lannister's help to take King's Landing from underneath the golden lions.

Tyrion's curiosity got the better of him, like it always did.

"How does it feel to have gotten so close to your objective just to have it snatched away by the very person who helped you achieve it?"

Tyrion's words echoed around the dark torchlit room but it was clear his words had been meant for Stannis.

After a half a minute of patient waiting, Tyrion gave up on receiving an answer but then he heard a shuffle of feet and then saw Stannis's head poke out of his cell's bars to mirror his own positioning, slightly hanging out his cell.

"The Gods will avenge me. Kenna Lannister may think she has everything she wants but her traitorous actions will mark her for the rest of her life. She betrayed the true King. She betrayed her honour."

Tyrion saw the believe burn in Stannis's eyes but he couldn't help but think that Ned Stark would have though the same way and the Gods had not saw it fit to avenge his fate.

"Which Gods are those? The Seven or the Lord of Light?" Tyrion replied pointing out Stannis's divided loyalties. "Honorable is not the word I would use to describe the action of letting their King lop of their head with no resistance. I would use the word stupid. And if there is one thing I know about Kenna Lannister; it is that she isn't stupid."

Stannis looked like he was about to refute Tyrion's statement but as he opened his mouth the door to their gloomy room burst open to reveal Loras Tyrell standing in the doorway in his shiny and polished amour.

* * *

The Knight of Flowers gave Stannis a razor-sharp look before moving from the door to allow his father to plod past. Upon seeing his grubby looking daughter behind bars Mace Tyrell rushed to the cell housing Tommen and Margaery.

"Someone get this cell open now," Mace Tyrell yelped while reaching for his daughter's hand through the bars and mostly ignoring Tommen in the back of the cell.

Tywin entered the room next and Tyrion noted how the room seemed to shrink as he did.

"Father," Tyrion greeted but saw how his father's eyes scanned the room taking in the placement of all the nobles and no doubt realizing why Kenna had placed them all there.

Two dethrones Kings, a Queen, and a Master of Coin.

Tyrion had noticed the not so subtle boast as soon as Tommen and Stannis had been housed in the same room. It seemed that King's Landing had nurtured Kenna's pride and it had bloomed to cast a shadow over her defeated foes.

Tyrion silently chuckled, as he saw his father's face tighten. He still reveled in seeing his father lose that calm aura he had built in himself. Tyrion knew he could crack it once in a while and he took pleasure it that fact his good-sister had that ability too.

"Open the cells," Tywin commanded and a Lannister solider appeared behind his shoulder with three keys in his hand.

The young blond man held one out to Loras who took it and approached his father, who was still fawning over his imprisoned daughter.

Tywin held out his own hand and the solider placed the second key in his Liege Lords palm while he took the remaining key and opened Tyrion's cage swiftly.

"Tyrion see that Tommen and Margaery are resettled into their rooms and then come to the Throne room," Tywin said before taking a step towards the caged stag and adding, "there will be an announcement shortly."

Tyrion nodded, looking between his father and Stannis before walking out of his cell and following the Tyrell party, that now included an exhausted Tommen, to walk out of the room and escape the dank darkness of the Black Cells. Not once did he look back as he climbed the shadowy stairs behind Loras Tyrell who supported his sister along the stairway.

Stannis and his father had only ever met on a few occasions so there was no bad history between them but they were juggernauts of the current era of Westeros, histories and lores would be recorded and made up about their actions and a meeting between the two would be an interesting affair.

He was slightly miffed that he would be missing such a meeting.

* * *

Tywin waited for everyone to leave the room so that only Stannis and himself where present in the confined space. His personal guards respectfully stood vigilant on the other side of the open door.

To Tywin's surprise he was not the first to speak.

"I remember my first visit to King's Landing; I must have been no more than four years old. My father took Robert and I to see King Aerys II Targaryen holding court on the Iron Throne. We never agreed on much but we agreed on that day that the King had been as noble as the dragons were fearsome," Stannis let out a rusty laugh as if the Gods had been playing a trick on him the whole time and he only just found out he was the punchline. "It was years later than my father told us that it hadn't been Aerys Targaryen holding court that day, he had cut himself on the throne earlier, but his Hand _Tywin Lannister_."

Tywin remained silent wondering if this offered piece of information was meant to invoke feelings of leniency. There had been a time when the Lannister and Baratheon ties had been strong and solid. A time where Tywin would have marched his armies to a Baratheon call. A time when Steffon Baratheon had been alive and not at the bottom of Shipbreaker Bay. Steffon Baratheon had been his best friend but Tywin held no love for his friends' sons. Bonds were not passed down in blood automatically, they had to be renewed with each generation.

Tywin didn't know who would have been more disappointed in their children his old friend or himself.

"My question is what happened to that man that impressed my brother and I so much? You let Aerys make your son and heir a Kingsguard. You suffered his refusal of your daughter's marriage proposal. You left King's Landing to the mercy of a Mad King when you knew he was unraveling. You ran away. You holed yourself up in Casterly Rock while my brother and I fought to take a tyrant down," Stannis took a breath from his rant before finishing, "You are a coward."

It was an interesting question, one that had an easy answer.

His entire world had crashed around him. The love of his life had died, leaving a gaping hole in his heart that had never healed. He had turned off his emotions so he wouldn't have to face what he had lost.

It was true, when Joanna had died, he had run away to a place filled with happy memories of her but each recollection just reminded him that he would never be able to bask in the warmth of her smile or drink in the sound of her golden laughter ever again. He had receded into himself and focused on the family name and legacy.

He knew now that his reaction to Joanna's death had deeply impacted all three of his children in ways, he regretted but the past was the past all he could do now was stop the rot.

Tywin ignored Stannis's insults and accusations, verbally at least as a dead man's question didn't require an answer, and proceeded with the planned course of events.

"You will be put on trial for treason against your nephew-" Tywin started.

"My nephew," Stannis thundered over Tywin while walking closer to the metal bars that separated the men, "he has none of Robert in him whatsoever and you know it. The boy is two halves Lannister. You are his grandfather two times over."

Ignoring Stannis's expected retort and using this predicted moment to regain control of the conversation Tywin delved into a more personal topic, "Why did Lady Kenna turn on you?"

Stannis seemed taken aback in the change in topic but only took a few moments to spit out his reply, "Because she is a Lannister."

Tywin suppressed the slight snort that came to him over Stannis's words, if Kenna had heard Stannis's statement, she would have been at the man's throat denying the truth of it. She was an Arryn by birth and a Lannister by marriage. The interesting question was what was she by _nature?_

"I don't think my good-daughter would be pleased with that assessment," Tywin said evenly as he reigned in his thoughts on Kenna and directed them back on the latest failed usurper of the Iron Throne.

"She left me here at your mercy, behind unlocked gates and unguarded streets …. for what peace?" Stannis genuinely questioned.

"She got an independent Vale in return as well as peace," Tywin confirmed.

Stannis leaned back of the bars as if the existence of a peace pact and an arrangement to exchange kingdoms with the man before him had reiterated Kenna's deceitful nature in his mind. He walked further back into his cell while Tywin's catlike eyes followed his every step. Waiting for the moment Stannis would make his final demand.

Tywin didn't have to wait very long.

Stannis squared up to Tywin with a last burst of determination etched on his stony face, "I will not be paraded around and made a mockery off in a court. I demand a trial by combat. I have lived by the sword and I will die by the sword."

Very well," Tywin said as if he had been expecting this outcome. And in truth he had.

* * *

Half an hour later ….

**Throne Room,** **Red Keep, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Tyrion was in the middle of trying to redirect Mace Tyrell's nonsensical rambling elsewhere and reach Tommen who sat on the Iron Throne with Margaery draped by his side when his father marched into the Throne room with Stannis Baratheon behind him in chains. The defeated man was flanked by two tall Lannister guards.

"Lord Stannis has demanded a trial by combat," Tywin announced as he walked to the Throne, "and I see no reason in why we should delay justice being dealt."

"But who will our champion be?" Mace Tyrell squeaked as he stepped down from the conversation he was having with Tyrion on the steps to the Throne.

"I will be the Crown's champion," came Loras's strong voice as he eyed Stannis with utter contempt.

Tyrion nodded at the development it was logical that Stannis, a hardened warrior would demand to be judged by the sword rather than his peers and it was extremely likely that Loras Tyrell would seek revenge for the death of his lover, Renly Baratheon.

Tyrion looked to his father; he had clearly wanted this outcome. It pacified the Tyrells and allowed them to take center stage in the fall of Stannis Baratheon.

Tyrion watched as Ser Loras, still wearing his amour stepped towards Stannis. There was only one thing on the young knight's mind.

Revenge.

Stannis held up his hands for the chains to be unlocked before he then stepped towards Loras Tyrell.

"Am I to fight with thin air?" he growled.

Tywin snapped his fingers at one of his guards who quickly presented Stannis with his own sword.

"Still not fair though is it," Loras muttered with rage now burning in his eyes but he was a knight so as Stannis gained a sword he shed his amour.

Now they were evenly equipped.

"You may begin," Tywin declared as he reached the arm of the Throne and turned to watch the fight begin. Tommen shifted his attention from Margaery to his good-brother who swung wildly at Stannis.

Tyrion noticed how the childish countenance that Tommen usually held had vanished and he now calmly watched as his uncle and good-brother thrusted and parried each other's blows. It appeared that the young King's experience in the Black Cells had hardened him to the harsh realities of his life and future.

The King kept his hand curled around Queen Margaery's as the clash of metal on metal rang out in the Throne room but this time it seemed like he was the one comforting his Queen and not the other way around as it had clearly been in the Black Cells.

There was a cry of pain that restored Tyrion's attention on the fight happening before the Throne.

Stannis had managed to nick Loras's upper thigh and blood was dripping down his right leg as he backed off Stannis to regroup.

Stannis pressed his advantage and tried to corner Loras against one of the large white pillars that supported the Throne room but the young man bit down through the pain of his injury and spun around the pillar to the other side and began circling back to the center of the room.

"Is that all you got?" Loras threw at Stannis.

But this wasn't Stannis's first taste of one-on-one combat, he ignored Loras's obvious attempts to distract him and launched another arcing swing that had Loras jumping back out of reach.

_He is making Loras work his legs,_ Tyrion accrued. Smart when the opponent had an injured one.

Stannis pounced again, his sword once again swiped at thin air but Loras this time had surprisingly charged forward and launched an attack of his own.

Stannis managed to block the strike and took a few steps back but Loras kept coming and Stannis's labored breath become more prominent the more flurries of parrying the men exchanged between them.

Loras didn't seem to be struggling with his leg anymore.

_Clever boy,_ Tyrion nearly said out loud. Loras Tyrell had been faking the extent of his injury to lure Stannis into overexerting himself and that is exactly what had happened.

In the next instant Loras pinned Stannis against the very pillar his opponent had sought to trap him against and kneed Stannis in the ribs. But the grizzled man still held onto his sword and tried his best to push Loras off.

But the younger man was fresher and stronger. Loras easily tangled his sword with Stannis's and twisted it so Stannis was forced to drop his weapon or suffer a broken wrist.

The sword clattered to the floor and the edge of Loras's gleaming blade was at Stannis's throat.

For a few moments all that could be heard was the heavy breathing between Loras and Stannis. No one wanted to intervene in the moment.

"Do what you must," Stannis said coldly without feeling to his young conqueror.

"Do you regret it?" Loras quested as he restrained himself from cutting Stannis's throat immediately.

Stannis looked into Loras's eyes as his next word came out in a deep suffering rumble, "I regret that my brother was cajoled into opposing me."

Loras's anger at the implication that he himself was ultimately responsible for Renly's death by supporting the young Baratheon's push for the Throne was too much for him to handle and he rammed the hilt into Stannis's face over and over until the Lord's face was mostly covered in blood.

Stannis tried to bring up his hands to defend himself but he had no energy left. The metal hilt easily tore through his weak defenses. He felt Loras grip his shoulder and throw him away from the pillar so when he looked up, he saw Tommen Baratheon sitting on the Iron Throne and then felt a ripping pain in the middle of his torso.

He looked down to see a sharp sword jutting out of his gut, with his own blood smeared onto the once polished surface.

The sword was retracted and Stannis crumbled to the floor in a fit of gasps and coughs.

All eyes watched as Stannis rolled onto his back and continued to gurgle as blood filled his lungs and started to soak his clothes.

Loras Tyrell knelt beside Stannis with his sword point resting near the man's head as he bent over his fallen opponent to whisper in the dying man's ear, "This was for Renly. You murdered him when he had nothing but good intentions. He would have been a better King than you. He cared-," Loras stopped himself before he got too emotional and focused purely on the dying stag that lay before him.

It only took a few more moments for Stannis Baratheon's last labored breath to leave him.

The sound of clapping snapped everyone out of their thoughts.

Tyrion turned back to see Tommen had stood from his Throne and was clapping for his good-brother, "Well done Ser Loras, once the matters of state have been dealt with, I will throw a banquet in your honour. You have dispatched an enemy of the Crown today and you have my eternal thanks now and forever."

Loras bowed before his King as his sister took her husband's hand and they both glided out the Throne room, followed by all of the Lannister guards.

Mace Tyrell ate up the space between him and his bowing son, "Well done my boy. Let us get that leg of yours looked at. We must write to your grandmother of what has happened. She will want to know everything."

Loras let himself be dragged off by his father which left Tyrion and Tywin alone with the bloodied body of Stannis Baratheon.

Tyrion didn't look behind him, he knew his father's eyes were on him.

Tyrion wandered down the remaining steps of the Throne room and stopped to look at the pooling blood springing from underneath Stannis. The crimson liquid had reached the dead man's outstretched hands and was making its way to his knees.

The expression on his face hadn't changed in death. His eyes remained open and staring at the ceiling while the hard-cold look that had dominated his face in life stayed carved on his face in death.

Tyrion smirked, even death couldn't change Stannis Baratheon.

Tyrion heard his father's steps and felt the man's tall presence beside him as they now both looked down on the fallen stag. In the end he had had no one and that had been his downfall.

The Lone Stag was always hunted down eventually.

"Follow me," Tywin demanded unceremoniously before walking away from Stannis's still bleeding body towards the open doors of the Throne room.

Tyrion sighed, guessing some unfortunately servant was going to have to clean up Ser Loras's mess for him, before begrudgingly following in his father's footsteps.

* * *

Half an hour later ….

**The Hand's Study,** **Tower of the Hand, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

"Father, I think I might be able to better utilize my talents if you clued me into what your plans are," Tyrion remarked snidely as both men entered the Hand's study.

"Fine," Tywin barked as he passed the table Kenna had pointed a crossbow at him and strode into the room that contained his study desk, where he had nearly died, twice.

There were reminders of Kenna's actions everywhere and Tywin was trying his hardest to blot out the memories and focus on the current threats at hand.

He didn't wait for Tyrion's reply before he dropped into his chair to start writing the numerous letters that would need to go out to mobilize the forces needed to reply all the oncoming threats to Lannister dominance.

Before his hand reached for the quill and the ink pot, he was faced with a disorientating image laid bare on his desk.

A skull, surrounded by a long maester's chain, with a golden pendant glistening in the skulls mouth.

"Looks like _Queen_ Kenna left you a present," Tyrion said interrupting his father's thoughts from across the desk, "and I think we both know who's skull that is."

The chain made it obvious. Pycelle had finally been plucked from the garden.

Tywin reached for the skull, tipping it so that the golden lion pendant slid into his open hand.

His hand curled around the small piece of gold. It seemed that the placement of prisoners in the Black Cells wasn't Kenna's only message to Tywin.

The return of the golden lion pendant stated loud and clear to Tywin that Kenna no longer considered herself a Lannister, was no longer under any obligation to the Lannister patriarch or wanted anything to do with running Casterly Rock.

Tywin placed the golden chain around his neck and made sure that the lion pendant was hidden below his shirt line before he turned to his sitting son.

"You want to help your family, well now is the time that the Lannister name needs you the most. Your brother is all but a glorified hostage again, and I have no intention to fight for his release. Your sister took off with Oberyn Martell and she plots to kill us both to save her remaining children. How she thinks she will be able to guarantee Tommen and Myrcella's safety in the coming chaos I have no idea but your sister is resourceful."

"I have been avoiding Cersei's murderous intent all my life. But I am afraid that threats from within our own family isn't the extend of our problems," Tyrion pointed out trying not to let his father's acknowledgement that he needed his help go to his head.

"Dorne won't move on us until the Dragon Queen leaves Meeren. Doran is a cautious man; he will not attack unless victory is all but guaranteed," Tywin expounded as he rested in his chair running possible future scenarios through his head.

"You know Dorne is in league with Daenerys Targaryen?" Tyrion asked with little surprise in his voice.

"Not for sure," Tywin answered back lightly drumming his fingers on his wooden desk, "but Varys wouldn't let the opportunity to add the might of Dorne to his chosen Queens's army. With the past history between the Lannisters and the Martells it is an obvious alliance."

"Perhaps an obvious alliance but it does seem quite unstoppable once you factor in the three fire breathing weapons that can destroy an entire army in one fell swoop."

"Dragons are not invincible, they are just very hard to kill," Tywin said, reluctantly repeating Kenna's words to his son.

"Tell that to Sharra Arryn or Harren the Black," Tyrion shot at his father, "Please tell me you have a plan to deal with the Targaryen girl when she comes?"

"I do but there is much work to be done to implement it," Tywin said slowly eyeing his son with his piercing green eyes.

"What?" Tyrion questioned, feeling nervous under his father's intense stare.

"For my plan to work I am going to have to trust you," Tywin ground out.

"Well that would be a first for you."

Tywin stroked the newly grown stubble on chin and caught sight of the scar on his hand. Oberyn Martell had nearly killed him that night when he had plunged his knife into his hand. It was a reminder that no man was immortal. Eventually the father had to pass on power to his son. Tywin had always envisaged that son being Jaime not Tyrion but now was the time to finally admit that Tyrion was the son that could play the game and he was the son that was best placed to lead when he was gone, until his child by Kenna reached adulthood of course but Tywin knew the odds of him surviving long enough to see that child come of age where slim.

"I intend to leave King's Landing once Tommen has settled on the Throne."

"What?" Tyrion half spluttered in a loud voice.

"We need all the allies we can get against Daenerys Targaryen; she has the Dornish and we need to make sure that she can't turn any other great house against us."

"You trust me to run King's Landing and fend off the Tyrells grab for power?"

"I need you here Tyrion," Tywin said in an unnaturally quite voice as if he still didn't want to admit to needing his sons help.

"Or is this an excuse for you to march an army to the Eyrie again and demand Kenna provide you an heir … _by Jaime of course_."

Tywin shifted uncomfortably in his chair, "That will not be necessary she is pregnant already."

Tyrion went extremely still as he processed the news. He had always been the youngest, the littlest of lions. Now he was going to be a big brother.

"When is she expecting?" Tyrion inquired, biting the inside of his mouth.

Tywin gave a shrug of forced indifference and pushed on with his strategic plans, eager to brush over the topic of Kenna's pregnancy as quickly as possible, "We have the Crownlands, Stormlands and Westerlands through family. The Reach through the Tyrells. The Riverlands though conquest. And the Vale through our new alliance. The Greyjoys and the North are the unspoken houses left with any sort of army and I do not want them declaring for Daenerys Targaryen."

"You think the Vale would really fight with us after everything that has happened?" Tyrion asked with a hand brushing over his chin then counting through the amount of transgressions that had happened between the Lannisters and the Arryns on his hands.

_One;_ _They fought with the Starks against us during the War of the Five Kings and a Queen._

_Two; They took Casterly Rock and Kenna declared the Vale independent from the Crown. _

_Three; Father planned the Red Weddings where Kenna nearly died and she ended up in the hands of the Mountain. _

_Four; We took the Eyrie which resulted in Alyssa Arryn dying and Kenna being forced to marry Jaime and losing control of her Kingdom to Littlefinger and Lysa Arryn. _

_Five; Cersei threatened to have Kenna thrown off the roof of the Tower of the Hand. _

Tyrion started to use his other hand to count.

_Six; Joffrey nearly inadvertently killed Kenna Arryn during his attempt at assassinating father. _

_Seven; Father framed Littlefinger and Lysa for Joffrey's murder, mmm …. that seemed more like a favour to Kenna than a transgression. Tyrion put down one finger to restart._

_Seven; Father decided to ensure he got his heir … Mmmm Is that a transgression, Tyrion wondered …. I'll count it._

_Eight; Kenna turned the tables and took King's Landing but then she gave it back … _

Tyrion let his hands fall to his sides. After a certain point it got a bit too complicated to keep track of relationship between House Arryn and Lannister.

_Maybe I will just leave Kenna for father to deal with and see how that goes, Tyrion_ smiled at the thought as the relationship between his father and the restored Queen over the Mountains intrigued him.

The sound of shuffling papers brought Tyrion's attention back onto his father.

"When I sealed our alliance with … _Queen _Kenna, we talked on how to deal with the Targaryen girl. Did you think I would ally our house to another without discussing the looming threats we would face," Tywin scolded as he began reorganizing his desk around the presented skull, "I expect our pact to remain intact. An Arryn always keeps their word."

Yes, and a Lannister always pays their debts. I know the sayings but this is potential house extinction we are talking about."

"They are sayings for a reason," Tywin snapped back as he moved the chain and skull to the side of the desk, "and I know that Varys considers Kenna a long-term threat to Daenerys's potential rule. She is an opponent of the Targaryen girl whether she wants to be or not. She will fight with us. She is married to a Lannister and about to bear a Lannister child. She is tied to us by more than just a piece of paper or a declaration of loyalty."

"Mmmm," Tyrion agreed, "The armies of the Westerlands, The Reach, and the Vale as well as the Golden Company men would be more than enough to repel the armies under Daenerys Targaryen's command but we aren't fighting man to man are we."

"And there lies our biggest problem, how do you kill three fully grown dragons?"

"Are you asking me Father or trying to figure out the answer yourself?"

"I am gambling everything on one of us finding out the answer," Tywin said back in a serious manner.

"Fine, I will add that to the long list of things I need to work on it but I would suggest trying to secure the Greyjoys loyalties first, their fleet will come in handy when trying to block Daenerys Targaryen's armies from reaching Westeros's shores."

"Balon will demand independence in return," came Tywin's stern voice.

"And?" Tyrion questioned, "Let him have it in name only."

"I have already given one Kingdom its independence I do not want to give away another one," Tywin said as his hands tightened around the arms of his chair.

"If you want your family to survive and your legacy to continue you may have too," Tyrion replied noting how his father was reacting to their conversation.

_He isn't feeling confident on the future,_ Tyrion guessed as he leaned towards his father, _or maybe he feels like a fool with how King's Landing was taken and given back._

"I am guessing you have a plan for the North as well," Tywin deduced by the way his son had shifted forward in his chair.

"I do," Tyrion answered shaking himself from his previous thoughts, "but I don't think you are going to like it and I think I need some more time to .. refine it."

"Then we have done enough for one day," Tywin stated while standing up from his desk.

Tyrion nodded his agreement and waddled to the doorway only to turn around and say in a genuine tone, "Congratulations Father," before vanishing into the other room.

It took Tywin a few seconds to realize that he had been talking about his impending fatherhood and he slowly lowered himself back into his chair, the letters in front of him forgotten as he felt for the golden lion pendant underneath his shirt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RIP
> 
> Stannis Baratheon (Loras Tyrell shoved his sword through his back in retaliation for the murder of Renly Baratheon)
> 
> I thought Stannis's death in the TV show was lackluster so I went with a nice mirror of how Renly died as I think in my story the murder of his brother was his worst action. Stannis in my story was never going to survive as he just doesn't have the characteristics that is needed to thrive in the current political climate and as soon as Kenna noticed this and realised Stannis's favour for her was waning with each clash in decision and action she had to make her move. But his legacy carries on in his daughter … where will she end up? I imagine if Stannis had proved slightly more flexible and able to work with Kenna his story would have turned out massively different.


	50. The Tides of Time

* * *

_A week later …._

_ **The Silent Storm** _ ** deck, Former Baratheon Flagship, Within sight of Dragon Stone, The Narrow Sea**

* * *

Balerion flapped his wings to increase his speed as he rode the wind in-between the charging ships that carried the combined forces of Lord Grafton's three thousand men and the Golden Company's twenty thousand. The falcon easily glided through the backend of the fleet, past the sails of the ponderous _Golden Wind_ that was encumbered with copious amounts of gold, and continued single-mindedly to his target.

The falcon dived as the abandoned castle of Dragon Stone appeared on the horizon and angled his wings to slow his descent onto his chosen ship.

_The Silent Storm._ Former flag ship of Stannis Baratheon. Now the lead ship in the Arryn fleet heading back to the Vale.

The black falcon gracefully landed on the outstretched arm that was awaiting his arrival.

"Good boy, you have gotten so big" Kenna cooed as she tickled Balerion underneath his beak and allowed her pet to shuffle from her arm to rest on her shoulder.

"He is magnificent, your Grace," a sweet voice murmured from behind Kenna.

Kenna dropped her hand from Balerion and turned away from the endless sea to look back towards the singsong voice.

"Sansa," Kenna said in a measured tone aware that the young redhead had no idea what awaited her in her future, "How does it feel to be free of King's Landing?"

Sansa walked past Kenna and rested on the wooden ledge to watch as the waves smashed against the hull of _The Silent Storm_.

"Sansa?" Kenna encouraged as she took up the space beside the young Lady.

"I am happy I am no longer there, your Grace but I can't help but think of the North. My brother is locked in a civil war with the bastard son of Roose Bolton and I don't know if he is winning or losing."

"I am sure he is winning. Your brother is a great battle tactician," Kenna said hiding her inner worries.

"Yes, but wining a war isn't just about fighting battles is it, or Robb and you would have won the War of the Five Kings and a Queen," Sansa said in frustration before registering her unintended insult.

Kenna cut off Sansa's imminent apology, "You are right. You can win a war in multiple ways. I know you were building up to ask for my help in the North and I would gladly give it if your brother would accept it. My fresh alliance with the Crown makes it hard for me to predict your brother's answer to such an offer. And even if he accepts it, I will need some time at the Eyrie to gather my bannermen, the ones I still trust of course, and I will need to … give birth as well."

If Sansa was trying to pretend to be shocked at this piece of news, she was doing an abysmal job, "You and _your husband_ have my congratulations your Grace and I am extremely relieved to hear that you will support Robb when you are able."

Kenna nodded at Sansa's words noting that the younger woman avoided mentioning if her brother would accept her help or not and she wasn't surprised about her pregnancy, "I will always support Robb Stark when I can. He is my oldest ally not sworn to me through my father's blood." _Also, the only one left outside of the Vale who knew me more as Kenna Arryn than as Kenna Lannister,_ Kenna thought soberly in her head as she ran through all her previous allies that had not made it this far. So many good men … just gone.

Kenna let the silence settle over them so they could hear the other ships surfing the seas' waves all around them.

"How did you know?" Kenna asked as her curiosity got the better of her.

"My mother had five children and I saw her carrying Arya, Bran and Rickon in her belly. I know the signs," Sansa replied quietly.

Kenna clucked her tongue signaling for Balerion to take flight, which he did a second later, and smiled before turning away from the simmering sea, "Follow me."

Kenna didn't look behind her to see if Sansa was complying with her blunt command. She knew she would be.

* * *

Lord Royce kept a weathered eye on his Queen's movements as she disappeared below deck with Lady Sansa and Balerion flew to the crow's nest to observe all below him.

From his position just in front of the wheel on the quarter deck where Lord Grafton was controlling the ship from Lord Royce could see the Vale crew working hard to maintain their course for Gulltown on the lower deck.

"How many months pregnant is she now?" Lord Royce questioned the strange man that leaned on the same ledge overlooking the mast as he currently was.

"Four months," Qyburn replied with absolute confidence. "She won't be able to conceal her condition for much longer."

"She doesn't need to conceal her condition," Lord Royce barked at the small man beside him then softened his tone, "How is she … doing?"

Qyburn straightened himself up from the wooden ledge, "Queen Kenna is healthy but she will require more rest the closer she gets to giving birth."

Qyburn tapped his fingers on the ledge as if he had a question and was debating whether to ask it.

"Spit it out," Lord Royce demanded knowing a man like Qyburn might piece together Kenna's situation.

"I know our Queen's marriage to Ser Jaime wasn't … a .. productive one. Ser Jaime left King's Landing to fight in the Riverlands four months ago. To an extremely skeptical mind the timing of Kenna's pregnancy is very …. convenient."

"Was there a question in there?" Lord Royce snapped back, turning slightly so he could look at Qyburn's face and give the small man his full attention.

"There was but I think I have an answer considering your somewhat calm response," Qyburn replied but noting Lord Royce's aggressive stance he clarified his position, "I only have Queen Kenna's best interests at heart. She gives me a safe haven to carry out my work. She values my knowledge and I value her trust. I don't need to know who the father is but it is good that you clearly do know. It doesn't matter to me. It only matters to me what she wants."

Qyburn's answer satisfied Lord Royce's protective urges. He knew the man beside him had saved Kenna's life more than once and had constantly shown that the Queen over the Mountains had his loyalty.

_A smart man,_ Lord Royce muttered internally as he unclenched his hands from the wooden ledge.

"You know looking after Queen Kenna's health isn't the only reason you are here," Lord Royce prodded.

"I am fully aware of what is coming Lord Royce," Qyburn pushed back no longer intimidated by the Vale Lords bulk or booming voice, "Our Queen has already instructed me to start thinking on how one might kill a dragon or three."

"Good. Because our alliance with the Crown aligns us against the Dragon Queen so we need to be ready when she comes," Lord Royce stated as his grip on the wooden ledged intensified.

"Ah yes the alliance, I suppose I better go check on our Queen's husband. See how he is enjoying his confinement in the ships cells."

Lord Royce slightly nodded as Qyburn departed to descend below _the Silent Storm's_ decks as Kenna and Sansa had moments before.

Lord Royce closed his eyes and took in a deep breath of the salty air that surrounded him. Kenna had managed to escape King's Landing and was about to reclaim the Vale as an independent Queen but the dangers she faced were not over.

_The Targaryen girl will see the Vale as an enemy and only the Gods know how the North will react to our newfound alliance with the Crown,_ Lord Royce shook his head at his last thought. The plan had always been to support Stannis as the rightful King but Kenna and Stannis had clashed so much that the potentially stabilizing partnership had burnt away in Stannis's righteousness and in Kenna's ambitions.

Lord Royce opened his eyes and they settled on the far end of the ship where _the Silent Storm's_ figurehead was located. It was a stag, naturally and in its shadow stood Ser Davos who in turn was standing close to his young charge. The former princess Shireen Baratheon was staring out into the Narrow Sea, in what was a perfect intimidation of her late father's favorite pose.

Lord Royce followed the young girl's line of sight.

She was staring at Dragon Stone. Her home. Lord Royce felt a pang of sadness wash over him. This little girl was not going to see her home for a very long time after today. He knew that she would receive fairer treatment at the hands of Kenna than she would in King's Landing but to a child the person who was responsible for your father's death was never going to receive your gratitude.

Lord Royce felt a significant force bump into him and he turned around to see that Lord Robin had crashed into him and a smiling Artys was chuckling from the stairway to the lower deck.

"Aaa …. Sorry Lord Royce," Robin said meekly, "Artys and I are playing chase and Lord Grafton told us to play somewhere else."

_Gods they are growing up,_ Lord Royce thought as he remembered a time where Artys and Robin didn't even reach his hips. Now they were both fourteen years old and nearly grown men, even if they didn't act like it.

_That will have to change soon,_ Lord Royce thought as he stood over the sheepish looking Robin.

"He is right to say so, how about you go play with Shireen Baratheon," Lord Royce suggested hoping the presence of other children might drag Shireen out of her current daze, "She is around your age and I am sure she would like your company and Artys's."

"Oh yeah sure. I think I could outrun her too," Robin exclaimed excitedly before joining Artys on the stairs and pointing towards Shireen.

Lord Royce watched as the two boys raced towards Ser Davos and observed the panicked look in the balding knights' eyes as Shireen left his protective presence to run around with the two young Vale boys.

The sight of the three young children running around the deck was a welcome escape from all the planning and future threats that normally occupied Lord Royce's mind.

But the old Lord couldn't stop the creeping realization that Kenna had been responsible for the deaths of all three children's fathers.

Euron Greyjoy, Petyr Baelish and Stannis Baratheon. All dead as a result of Kenna's actions.

Lord Royce hoped that when the three were fully grown they would forgive or at least understand Kenna's actions.

* * *

"Sansa, this way," Kenna called as she strode through the corridors of _the Silent Storm._

Sansa followed closely until Kenna entered a large room. She recognized this area as Kenna's private quarters as she spotted a large bed and noticed how only one side had been slept in.

"Here," Kenna announced as she stood before a large wooden chest that rested at the end of her bed.

Sansa watched as Kenna unlocked the chest and pushed the lid back to reveal two exquisite swords.

"Are those Valyrian swords," Sansa gulped as a sickening feeling started to grow in her tummy.

"Yes," Kenna replied wondering when Sansa would comprehend the truth.

"Are those … are those Ice?" Sansa stuttered as her hands began to tremble.

"Yes, these two swords were re-forged from Ice," Kenna said missing how Sansa flinched at the name of the Stark ancestral sword, "I believe Joffrey named one Widow's Wail and my husband never gave the other one a name….. Sansa are you okay?"

Sansa struggled to fight through the memory of her father's head being severed from his neck as she looked at the two swords that rested in the chest before her. She didn't notice when Kenna guided her to the bed and the Queen's hands closed around her own shaking ones.

"Forgive me Sansa. I didn't discern that you would react like this. I was thoughtless and tactless."

Sansa sucked in a few calming breaths, "I thought I had buried it deep enough that the memory couldn't hurt me anymore but I was wrong."

"If it is any form of comfort, I intend to return the swords to your brothers with your persons. Eddard Starks's sons should wield their father's sword and Eddard Stark's daughter should reside in the North not in King's Landing or in the Eyrie."

"Thank you," Sansa managed to squeak out as silent tears started to streak down her face.

She was going home. She was going to see her family again. And she would not be coming home empty handed whether it was just her father's sword she brought with her or an army behind her.

* * *

Two weeks later_ …_

**Water Gardens, Sunspear, Seat of power of House Nymeros Martell, Capital of Dorne**

* * *

Cersei reclined gracefully on the pillows laid out on the grassy floor and enjoyed the warmth of the sun hitting her face. The fountains that surrounded her kept the nearby air cool and refreshing. If she closed her eyes, she could almost imagine she was back at Casterly Rock, before Robert's Rebellion.

She had been happy then.

Cersei had been waiting almost two weeks to meet with Doran Martell. She knew the man was cautious and took his time to make decisions but this was bordering on the ridiculous. The only saving grace was that she was able to see her daughter every day.

Cersei smiled to her left where her daughter lay looking up into the clear blue sky. Their reunion had been emotional. They hadn't seen each other in over three years and so much had changed in that time. Myrcella had grown into a beautiful woman who had a mind of her own. Every day she grew a little bit more into the spitting image of Joanna Lannister.

Cersei was reluctantly grateful that Tyrion had sent Myrcella to such a place that had allowed her to blossom. From the few interactions that Cersei had spied between Trystane and Myrcella they had a genuine caring relationship.

Myrcella was happy here.

Cersei had no wish to change that state of affairs. In fact, she intended to help strengthen Dorne for her daughter as Myrcella would be the future consort of Dorne.

That was why she was here. If only Doran would face her.

Cersei override her frustrations at her confusing predicament and let the sun's rays lull her into a daydream.

Cersei's floating thoughts were interrupted when her sunlight was blotted out. She opened her eyes to see Prince Oberyn towering over her prone form.

"I knew you would enjoy the Water Gardens. It is my brother's favorite place too and he is now ready to see you," Oberyn said with a deep smile on his face while offering his hand for Cersei to take.

Cersei indulged the Prince's charming side and allowed the tanned man to pull her up from the ground.

Myrcella started to push herself of the pile of pillows but Oberyn stopped her.

"I am afraid this meeting is just for your mother," Oberyn said in an apologetic voice to the blond girl.

"I will be here when you are finished," Myrcella said in an even voice as she returned to staring up into the sky.

"Shall we?" Oberyn questions as he stuck out an arm for Cersei to take.

Cersei didn't reply but looped her hand around Oberyn's arm and they strolled through the Water Gardens towards the shaded building in the middle of the grassy landscape.

* * *

"Brother, you won't believe what I found running loose among the fountains. A wild lioness."

Prince Doran looked up from his lap to see his younger brother stepping into the shaded area with the former Queen of the Seven Kingdoms on his arm.

"We already have one lioness," Doran said slowly as he observed Cersei, noting the visible scar running down one cheek, sit down on one of the plush couches before him.

Oberyn sat opposite Cersei so Doran had a good view of both of them from his stationary seated position.

"Yes, but this one is special. She broke from her pride. I am sure her motivations are extremely intriguing so why don't we hear her out. She has waited patiently for your ear brother. I say we let her speak now."

"You always did have a weakness for pretty woman," Doran teased his brother before his countenance regained some seriousness, "Lady Cersei my brother is indeed right. I would like to know why you set him free and fled with him here to enemy territory."

Cersei felt the Dornishmens' eyes fall on her and start to scrutinize her every move. She shuffled on the couch and leaned forward.

"Everything I do is for my children," Cersei simply stated.

"A lovely sentiment," Doran said softly, "but that doesn't explain why you _betrayed _your own house, your own father."

Cersei felt the heat rise in her throat at her recent actions being spoken aloud. Having spent the majority of her life trying to please her father and trying to be the golden daughter, it was perplexing now to consider him an enemy. An opponent to be defeated and dismantled. But that is what she would do if it meant keeping her remaining children safe.

"My daughter will be the future consort of Dorne. I want to be here to protect her the best I can and while my son is King of the Seven Kingdoms, he is in danger of losing his crown and his life to an unstoppable threat."

"Oh," Doran said noncommittally.

"I know Daenerys Targaryen is coming. And with her three fire breathing dragons that will destroy everything in their path," Cersei took a beat to prepare what she was going to say next as she knew it was a gamble, "I know you have an alliance with the Targaryen girl."

"We do?" Doran played along.

"Yes. And what I offer is my knowledge of my father's strategies and tactics and in exchange I would like you to negotiate with the Dragon Queen for Tommen and Jaime's lives so that Tommen may inherited Casterly Rock."

Doran placed both his hands underneath his chin as he considered Cersei's request, "You will help us destroy Tywin Lannister if we secure a guarantee that your brother and son will be left unharmed?"

Cersei nodded.

Doran gave Oberyn a stern look before addressing Cersei again, "Your brother killed Daenerys Targaryen's father and your son is a usurper to her throne, do you really think she would be willing to let them go?"

"I can declare Tommen Jaime's bastard so he isn't a pretender to the Throne and no future threat to Daenerys Targaryen. Jaime saved King's Landing the day he stabbed the Mad King in the back he deserves a reward for his actions," Cersei said with conviction.

"And declare my son's future wife a bastard too? I think not," Doran muttered back already thinking on his future actions.

Before Cersei could reply Doran leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes to consider all put before him.

After a few minutes Cersei was going to interrupt the Dornish ruler but a shake of the head by Prince Oberyn stopped her.

Instead she captured the younger Dornish Prince's eyes, looking into them as he looked into hers as a dance of stubborn determination played out until Doran had finished with his calculations.

"You set my brother free. For that action I will ask Daenerys Targaryen for leniency for your son and brother. I will enquire if she would be inclined to let Tommen _Baratheon_ live and declare him the Lord of Casterly Rock through yourself when your father and Lord Tyrion fall. It will be a test for her."

"A test?" Cersei said slowly.

"Yes, a test your father failed when he ordered Elia and her children's death. How fitting his grandson will be in the same position as Elia and her children were. Let us hope Daenerys Targaryen is less a monster than your father is. She may let your son live and your lover go to the Wall."

"Jaime doesn't deserve-," Cersei began ignoring the insult in favour to fight for her brother's freedom.

Doran cut her off with a previously hidden strength, "It does not matter what you think he deserves he killed her father and she is a Targaryen, she will not simply let your brother go free. That would be an insult to her name. It would make her look weak. If you want your son to have a chance to become the ruler of the Westerlands you need consign yourself to the fact your brother will most likely not receive Daenerys Targaryen's mercy. What you offer is not great enough to barter for both their lives."

Cersei bite her lip but lowered her head, "Are we agreed then?"

"You will tell us everything you know about how your father operates and I will ask for leniency for your son and brother. I cannot guarantee her response," Doran advised.

Cersei nodded her agreement despite her obvious resentment at the outcome.

"We are finished here then. You saved my brother Lady Cersei so as long as you stay in Sunspear you are considered a guest of House Martell but please do not test my patience or manners."

Cersei decided it was best not to respond so she just inclined her head slightly as she backed out of the room and returned to the Water Gardens and her waiting daughter.

* * *

A few seconds after Cersei had departed Doran eased back on his chair, "Who gave her the scar?"

"Her good-sister," Oberyn said bluntly not hiding his feelings towards his past dance partner.

"Knowing Cersei I am surprised she left King's Landing alive," Doran said ponderously but considered his brother's distasteful response.

"I imagine Cersei would have loved to kill her but she couldn't kill her brother's wife or father's lover could she," Oberyn said darkly.

Doran took this piece of information in his stride and speculated, "Lannisters seem to prefer their own company it seems. That would explain the Crown and Eyrie's newfound alliance."

"Maybe," Oberyn offered without much thought.

Doran returned his attention to Cersei, "She is in so many ways like her father and yet so different in other aspects. Negotiating with one is a very different experience from negotiating with the other."

"They are in different situations. Tywin Lannister had the upper hand with me as his prisoner, Cersei has absolutely nothing but her wits and a desire to protect the ones she loves. She is also pregnant," Oberyn stated as he copied his brother and sunk deeper into the pillows that surrounded him.

"You are sure?" Doran checked.

"Yes, brother I have seen enough pregnant woman in my life time to be an expert on the subject," Oberyn replied lazily behind a luscious smile.

Doran did not challenge his brother on his declaration, "Whether she is pregnant or not does not alter our path forward."

"No of course not, but if the babe is blond it does all but confirm that Tywin Lannister's children have been fucking each other for years."

"We already know that," Doran pointed out, "She just admitted to that."

"You always said it was good to have evidence to prove a theory," Oberyn said grinning back at his brother.

"I never thought you actually listened to me," Doran grinned back.

"I don't normally," Oberyn teased back before he slapped his thighs and rose from his seated position.

"I will leave you dear brother to your plans and designs. I have a particularly stunning dark beauty that needs my attention," Oberyn winked at his brother.

Doran waved him off as he receded back into the calm of his own mind.


	51. Home

* * *

_Two weeks later …_

**Within sight of the Dreadfort, Three Weeks march from Winterfell**

* * *

The Hound grunted as he carried the dead weight in his arms.

"Stay awake," he growled to the semi-conscious Arya who was bundled in the his two arms as Yara trailed behind them eyeing the path which they had come from, alert to any danger.

"I don't think we are being followed anymore," Yara shouted out from behind the Hound but the large man didn't slow his hurried pace.

"I'm not worried about some Bolton fuckers catching up with me," the Hound roared behind him.

He could have sliced a dozen of the fuckers apart on his own. They were shit warriors. He was worried about the infection that was spreading throughout the little lady in his arms. Her wound had not healed as it should and she had steadily grown weaker as they had got closer to her brothers.

The Hound suddenly increased his pace as he saw the ominous gates of the Dreadfort look before him.

He would get there in time.

* * *

_Same time …_

** _Main Hall, Dreadfort, Three weeks march from Winterfell_ **

* * *

Robb sat at the head of the table in the main hall of the Dreadfort with Jon and Mance either side of him.

His brother and the Wildling King had brooding expressions on their face. Both were not happy with their current predicament.

_That makes three of us,_ Robb whimsically thought to himself.

"My men grow bored of waiting. The White Walkers are coming and we are sitting on our arses doing nothing," Mance said with an edge of danger coating his words.

"Ramsey will be expecting our assault on Winterfell. He will have fortified accordingly and set many traps for our forces to fall into. I will not attack Winterfell until your men know how to fight in a siege and won't simply be fodder for Ramsey's men to pick off from Winterfell's walls," Robb explained.

"Aye, maybe what you are doing is wise but wildlings are not patient and don't normally listen to reason," Mance pointed out.

"They listen to you," Robb shot back.

"Yes, they do but I united them together to achieve a common goal, getting through the Wall," Mance responded as he reined in his discontent.

"And now you will keep them together to achieve another common goal, a place to live in peace south of the Wall," Robb said reminding Mance what he and his men were fighting for.

"What of the White Walkers?" Jon questioned his brother in a hopeful tone, "we received another letter from the Wall asking for assistance."

Robb hesitated for a moment before answering, "My only priority now is to take back Winterfell. Once Winterfell is in our family's hands once again, we can discuss the Wall and your White Walkers."

"They are real," Jon quietly replied sensing his brother's skepticism, "the Wildlings have seen them too."

"I am told beyond the Wall is a strange place but before I send an army to fight a mystical threat, I am going to need physical proof that it exists or I might as well concede Winterfell to the Greyjoys straight after I pry it from Ramsey's dead fingers," Robb expounded unable to keep the frustration out of his words completely.

He trusted his brother but an undying army lead by an immortal leader that could raise the dead was straight out of one of Old Nan's stories. He couldn't risk the future of the Stark family on his brother's word alone. He simply couldn't.

"Once we have taken Winterfell I will give you the opportunity to prove what you say but I will not deviate from crushing Ramsey Bolton and taking our home back," Robb said sternly as his hands opened one of the letters stacked up on a pile beside home on the table.

"If we aren't to discuss the Wall or the taking of Winterfell, I don't see why my presence is required," Mance said behind an expressionless face.

Robb signaled that he could go and watched as the short Wildling made his way out of the room.

"You shouldn't antagonize him so," Jon warned.

"He gave me his word he would help me take Winterfell. Was I wrong to trust you that he can be counted on?" Robb said with a hint of irritation as he put the unread letter on the table to address his brother fully.

Jon ignored his brother's minor slight, "Like his men Mance does not have endless patience. We will have to move on Winterfell eventually."

"I know but when we do move, I want to know that we will win. I currently have a wild rabble of twenty thousand and maybe two thousand good Northern soldiers left. Ramsey has at least five thousand well trained and battle-hardened soldiers that he can place on the fortified walls of Winterfell to rain down death upon us," Robb ranted unable to contain his downhearted thoughts, "You had what a hundred brothers of the watch on the Wall to fend of how many Wildlings? Tell me what you think five thousand trained soldiers can do to our Wildling army?"

"What do you suggest?" Jon conceded thinking back to the battle at Castle Black.

"Mance's men needed to be trained. They need to understand that brute strength alone doesn't win battles south of the Wall. We need to train them," Robb said as he finally started to read the letter in his hand.

Jon nodded at his brother's assessment; he would have to broach the topic lightly with Mance but he was sure the Wildling King would see the logic in Robb's decision. It would save Wildling lives in the long run if they knew how to siege walls.

Jon's musings were interrupted as his brother started to smile then suddenly his features darkened.

"Robb?"

Robb looked up from the letter, "Stannis Baratheon is King no more over the Seven Kingdoms so that letter we sent requesting his help will be of no use now."

"Who rules the Seven Kingdoms now?" Jon asked.

"_Kenna Lannister_ dethroned Stannis but it appears she has left King's Landing with the Golden Company now."

"Heading back to the Eyrie probably," reading his brother's baffled look Jon added, "Why is that surprising?"

"It isn't but she left King's Landing to be retaken by the Lannisters and signed a peace treaty with them. The Eyrie and the Crown are now allies."

Jon now understood the dark cloud that now hung-over Robb's features.

Kenna had aligned the Vale with the Crown. With the Lannisters. With the family responsible for the deaths of his father, mother, wife and unborn child. Jon had no idea where this placed the North in her expectations or Kenna in Robb's.

Were they still allies? Were they now enemies?

There was no time to mull over the new situation they found themselves in as a Northman burst through the doors of the Dreadfort's main hall.

"Your Grace," the man panted, "Lady Arya is at the gates she is injured and she is with-"

The young Northman didn't get a chance to finish his message as both Jon and Robb had jumped out of their seats and were running past him.

* * *

Arya opened her eyes to vaguely see Jon and Robb sprinting towards her. They were lower than she was. She heard the dull tones of the Hound above her.

_He seems annoyed_ _but when was he not annoyed_, Arya smiled to herself as she fought to take in any more information about her surroundings.

She felt herself being lowered to the ground and Jon and Robb's faces once again filled her vision. Their mouths were moving but she couldn't hear what they were saying.

She strained her ears but still all she could gather were muffled sounds that were getting louder and louder. She closed her eyes again to try to focus but after a few seconds she discovered that she couldn't reopen them and drifted off into a comforting darkness.

* * *

"Arya, Arya," Robb shouted as he shook her shoulder," before rebounding on the Hound, "What happened?"

"We escaped from Winterfell but some of Ramsey's men caught up to us and she took an arrow. The wound got infected," the Hound stated from behind clenched teeth.

"She needs to see a Maester now," a rough feminine voice cut through the air.

Robb flicked his eyes from the Hound to the woman who had previously stayed in the big man's shadow.

_Yara Greyjoy, what is she doing here with my sister and the Hound?_ Robb questioned himself, aware that the lean woman would hold a grudge for Theon's death.

"Jon take her to see a Maester now," Robb ordered holding in the emotion of seeing his little sister injured.

The Hound scooped Arya up once again and followed Jon's running lead to accelerate into the Dreadfort.

Robb walked directly up to Yara with his hand on his sword as his men circled Yara, "What are you doing here?"

"Your sister unlocked my cage in Winterfell. I felt I owed it to her to get her to safety," Yara said as innocently as she could manage.

"Bullshit. If you had tried to make it to the coast on your own Ramsey's men would have hunted you down and you would have ended back up in that cage again," Robb snarled back, easily seeing through the offered lie.

"Okay," Yara said while backing away from the men surrounding her, "Staying with your sister and her Hound was the best chance I had at survival and I was right."

"Put her in the Dreadfort's cells," Robb commanded as he lifted his hand from the hilt of his sword and started to walk away to seek out his little sister.

Yara remained silent as she let the Northmen disarm her and grab her arms. Being a prisoner to Robb Stark was a much better prospect to being a prisoner of Ramsey Bolton, even if he was a Greyjoy killer.

* * *

_A few hours later in the middle of the night …_

* * *

Robb sat beside a sleeping Arya with an unfinished letter in one hand and a wet quill in the other as he tried to stifle a yawn.

"Have you not finished that yet?" Jon inquired from the other side of the bed in which Arya lay on.

"This," Robb waved the letter around, "Isn't the one I started with."

Indeed, there was a pile of half a dozen scumbled bits of paper by Robb's feet and the one that was in his hand suffered the same fate as it got crushed in Robb's fist and thrown to the floor.

Robb looked over Arya's still form. She was breathing steadily. The wound had festered but if Robb knew one thing about his little sister it was that she was a fighter.

Robb sighed under Jon's careful gaze, "I don't know what to write …. She isn't the same person that fought alongside me during the war. She is Kenna Lannister, Queen of an independent Vale, ally to Tommen Baratheon by all accounts. How can I ask such a person for help?"

Jon mulled over the question in his head for longer than necessary as he sought to find the right words and distract himself from the worry that was deeply embedded in his mind with Arya's steady but shallow breathing reminding him how close he was to losing another family member.

"You will ask, for the North," at Robb's dismissive look Jon pushed more forcefully, "You are the King in the North. You don't do things because you want to but because you must. Now write the damn letter asking for help and swallow whatever emotion you are feeling."

Robb chuckled, "It seems I can count on you to keep the North's interests at the forefront of matters and my head straight."

"Kenna Lannister has proven unpredictable so _you_ have nothing to lose by asking. The _North _has nothing to lose and everything to gain," Jon clarified.

Robb nodded his head reluctantly, knowing what his brother was saying was true as he grabbed another piece of paper. He looked down at Arya's peaceful face before he put quill to paper.

_For the North,_ he thought dramatically as he buried his pride and wrote to a potential enemy asking for help.

* * *

A month later_ …_

**The High Hall, in the Eyrie, Seat of power of House Arryn (Corbray) in the Vale, Capital of the Vale Kingdom **

* * *

Lord Lyn Corbray strutted around the High Hall shouting at the five assembled nobles of the Vale.

"Why haven't we heard anything Lord Redfort? Kenna Lannister's army should have marched through your lands by now? She landed at Gulltown over a month ago!" The current regent of the Vale aimed at Lord Horton Redfort but before the kind looking old Vale Lord could answer Lord Corbray the raging Lord turned to address the only woman among them.

"Maybe she is taking her army around the mountains and intends to attack from the Vale of Arryn itself," the panicked Lord said more to himself than to the old woman that held a seat along the mountains and was standing directly in front of him.

"I can promise you no enemy army has passed by Ironoaks," Lady Anya Waynwood reassured in a calm manner that befitted her image.

"And I can add my Lord that at Longbow Hall there has been no sightings of a marching army. Kenna Lannister must be heading up the High Road for the Bloody Gate," Lord Hunter predicted as he gently brushed his bushy mustache with his fingers.

"There has been no word on Kenna Lannister's movements since she landed in Gulltown. Why is that?" Lord Corbray shouted in frustration as he eyed all five aging nobles that stood surrounding him. They seemed unperturbed at the possibility that a hostile army was missing in their territory.

He looked at the two other Lords who had remained quiet during his outburst.

"Lord Belmore, Ser Templeton can you shed any light on where a twenty thousand strong army might be in the Vale?"

Both shook their heads slightly while maintaining eye contact with the troubled Lord.

"You are all useless, get out," Corbray yelled as he turned his back and walked wearily to the Weirwood chair and flopped into it.

After a few seconds he noticed the five Vale nobles in front of him hadn't moved but a messenger boy had appeared and was at Lady Anya Waynwood elbow.

"Did you not hear me? Leave," Lord Corbray commanded from his seated position as one of his hands went to caress his temple.

"But I have news of Kenna Lannister's movements," Lady Waynwood stated with a slight smile on her face.

"Tell me then," Lord Corbray demanded as he noticed that the kindness had seeped from Lord Redfort's eyes and that Lord Belmore and Ser Templeton were fidgeting with various pieces of their clothing as if trying to contain a nervous energy.

"Very well," the refined Lady said, "she is here with these walls."

"What?" Lord Corbray spat out as he straightened his back in the Weirwood chair and looked intensely at the grey-haired lady below him as one hand rested on the hilt of _Lady Forlorn_.

"Queen Kenna's army landed in Gulltown a month ago, it reached Wickenden two weeks later, her host joined the High Road then she passed the Bloody Gate two days ago and according to this boy she entered the Eyrie a few moments ago," Lady Waynwood stated with glee.

"She should be here any second," Ser Templeton said with a cunning grin gracing his handsome features.

"You are all traitors," screamed Lord Corbray.

"Lord Baelish put you on the Weirwood chair when he left and we were forced to follow his lead while he was alive and Kenna _Arryn_ was locked away in King's Landing but both situations have changed," Lady Waynwood said pointedly.

"Did you really think we would choose to follow you over a daughter of Jon Arryn," Lord Redfort said shaking his head slightly, "You were one of us and Lord Baelish raised you up due to your traitorous action in giving him the Eyrie. Did you think that the other Vale Lords would stand for that? That _we_ would forget?

Lord Corbray couldn't answer the kindly looking old Lord's questions as the doors to the High Hall flew open to reveal a clearly pregnant Kenna Lannister gliding through them with Lord Grafton and Lord Royce at her shoulders and a crowd of Arryn soldiers behind her back.

"I think Lord Corbray you are sitting in my chair," Kenna declared confidently eyeing the Lord that had sealed her fate as a prisoner to the Lannisters and consigned her to near two years of imprisonment in King's Landing.

How she had imagined what she would do to this man.

The smile on her face grew with each step she took towards the wide eyed traitorous noble.


	52. The Fall

* * *

A few seconds later_ …_

**The High Hall, in the Eyrie, Seat of power of House Arryn in the Vale, Capital of the Vale Kingdom **

* * *

Lord Lyn Corbray jumped up from the Weirwood throne as he unsheathed _Lady Forlorn_.

"_Your Lady_ will do you no good now," Kenna said as she continued to eat the space between them, ascending up the marble stairs with a hand on Lord Royce's supporting arm while Lord Grafton rushed ahead with his sword drawn in front of him.

The room was filling with Arryn men, Golden Company men, and Vale nobles alike. All eyes were on the unfolding event in front of them.

Sansa stood beside Qyburn as the old man had one hand each clasped on Robin and Arty's shoulders.

_He knows what is about to happen is going to be gruesome_, Sansa deduced as she looked at the oddly caring manner of the unchained maester.

Sansa observed Ser Jaime, Ser Davos and Shireen Baratheon behind a ring of Golden Company men with their leader just stood in front. Jaime seemed to show no interest in his surroundings, a tactic Sansa knew well from her time in King's Landing. Ser Davos's eyes were darting all over the High Hall, as he kept Shireen in his shadow but his protective actions didn't stop Shireen from peaking around the ex-pirate to see the scene playout before her.

Kenna lifted her hand as she reached the top of the stairs. A second later an arrow lodged itself into Lord Lyn Corbray's leg and he yelled out in pain. His precious Valyrian sword clattered to the floor as Lord Grafton reached the injured man to give him a heavy kick in the stomach that had him rolling off the ledge, where the Weirwood throne was, and onto the floor below, near where the Moon Door was situated.

Lord Grafton picked up Corbray's Valyrian sword and placed it against the Weirwood chair then returned to the Vale nobility below, winking to Lord Hunter then settling in-between Lady Waynwood and Lord Redfort.

Lord Royce guided Kenna to the Weirwood Throne then took up his merited position by her right shoulder as they both looked down into the crowd below them.

* * *

Kenna wasted no time as she settled her growing and cumbersome body into the smooth and welcoming Weirwood Throne, " I Kenna _Lannister_ First of my name, Queen of Mountain and Vale declare the Eyrie as my capital and Lord Yohn Royce as my Hand of the Queen."

Kenna looked to the assembled Lords of Declarants as she twirled _Lady Forlorn_ in her hands in-between her knees, "I thank my Lords and Ladies who facilitated my return and I promise I won't forget your courage and honour. But now it is time to make sure that justice is served to _all those_ that betrayed House Arryn, the Vale and their own honour."

Kenna eyes flicked to the man below her that had just pulled the arrow out of his leg and had managed to picked himself up of the ground, "Lord Lyn Corbray you stand accused of aiding my good-mother and her husband in their treacherous usurping of the Weirwood Throne and the ousting of House Arryn from the Vale. Do you have anything to say?"

"You are nothing but a fucking whore," Lord Corbray spat up at Kenna as two Vale guards restrained him by his arms.

Kenna nodded at the expected insult from her beaten foes mouth while pushing the standing Valyrian sword in-between her legs from one hand to another as if mulling over an idea in her head, "Lord Royce would you like to dispense justice in my name."

"Of course, your Grace," the huge Lord replied as he took a step away from Kenna.

"Use this," Kenna said behind gleaming eyes as she held out _Lady Forlorn_ to her new Hand.

Lord Royce took the sword without comment then walked slowly down the marble stairs while admiring the swords beauty as it shone in the light bouncing around the High Hall.

House Royce had once had an ancestral Valyrian blade but it had been lost during the Dance of the Dragons.

The bronze covered Lord stopped just in front of Lord Corbray, ignoring the sea of eyes beyond.

The caught Lord didn't struggle against the two men that held him. He knew this was his end.

"You going to kill me with my own sword," Corbray remarked as the entirety of the situation seemed to hit him.

"Your _Lady_ is thirsty and she demands blood," Kenna answered from her lofty position.

_Your blood, _Kenna finished in her head.

"For the Eyrie, for the Vale," Lord Royce said loudly as he plunged _Lady Forlorn_ through Lord Corbray's stomach pushing out a terrifying scream of pain from the traitorous Lord as he was held in his standing position by the two men at his arms, "for my Queen, for honour," Lord Royce finished his declaration by retracted Lord Corbray's own sword from his midriff and the men holding up Corbray let him collapse to the white stone floor of the High Hall clutching at his punctured torso.

Kenna watched as Lord Corbray's blood started to cover the white stone of the High Hall's floor. The red liquid wormed its way towards the Moon Door.

Kenna smirked as she ignored Lord Corbray's dying whimpers of pain and addressed the gathered crowd, "This is the fate that awaits all those that throw away their honour and word for gold and titles."

The attention of almost everyone on the room was on the dying Lord that was flailing around on the floor trying to crawl away from Lord Royce, towards the closed Moon Door, towards them.

Lord Royce's focus was on his Queen.

Kenna put a thumb to her neck then drew a line.

The message was clear and seen by everyone, _Finish it._

Lord Royce readjusted his grip on the light sword in his hands and stalked towards the wounded and wriggling Lord. With four of his long steps he had the bottom of his boot on the now gurgling traitors back, pressing him down.

Lord Royce raised the Valyrian sword above his head and brought it down with vicious strength so that the sword easily cut through Lord Corbray's fleshy neck and a distinct clink could be heard by all when the sword bit into the stony floor below.

Lord Corbray's detached head rolled slightly forward and that momentum was all that was needed so that it fell onto the closed Moon Door, painting the two old wooden slabs with splashes of red.

"Lord Corbray opened the Eyrie gates to our enemies and watched in delight as they flooded in, killing our brave soldiers and leaving two degenerate liars to rule our beloved Vale," Kenna said as she eyed Lord Redfort in the crowd beside Lord Grafton, "Lord Redfort as my new Master of Laws please ensure Lord Corbray's head is placed above the gates of the Eyrie as a message to those that would betray House Arryn."

Lord Redfort bowed then walked to the edge of the Moon Door where he picked up the decapitated head of Lord Corbray. The kindly looking Lord then bowed again and set about his given task immediately, leaving the High Hall as soldiers and nobles moved out of his way, avoiding the gaze of the dead man's eyes in the old Lord's hands.

Lord Royce started to clean the bloodied sword on bits of the dead man's clothes that weren't soaked with blood already.

"You like the sword do you not?" Kenna questioned her closest confidant.

"It is Valyrian steel, your grace," Lord Royce replied in a tone confirming his admiration.

"Then it is yours. A gift for your service to the Vale," Kenna said.

_A gift you deserve for your service to me._

"What will you name it?" Kenna inquired down to her Hand, seeing how her mentor's eyes coveted the shinning blade in his hand.

Lord Royce took a moment to think and stretched the sword out in front of him so the tip rested in one hand while the other stayed on the hilt.

He looked up at his Queen and reflected on his purpose to her, "I will call it _Honour's Edge_ your Grace."

_I am your blade, I am your Hand, I am the servant of Honour._

"A fitting name," Kenna stated looking at the still bleeding body of Lord Corbray as her Hand made his way back to her, "I thank you Lord Royce for ensuring that justice was carried out but _we are not done_."

"Lord Grafton if you please," Kenna said as a nefarious smile overcame her face.

In the next few seconds Lord Grafton had a large chain lined with multiple handcuffs and a few Arryn guards behind him as his eyes twinkled with unspeakable delight.

"Lord Jon Lynderly," Lord Grafton announced loudly.

"What ….," the middle-aged Lord yelped as Arryn soldiers surrounded him and started to drag him towards Lord Grafton.

"I did nothing. I am a loyal subject," screamed the thin man as Lord Grafton locked both his hand in before scanning the crowd again.

The room now had a tense edge to it as everyone watched the proceedings with bated breath.

"Lord Edmund Waxley."

A young-looking man in the crowd made a break for the doors but a wall of Golden clade mercenaries and Vale men blocked him off and dragged him to Lord Grafton to be chained like Lord Lynderly, who was still protesting his innocence.

"Lord Benedar Belmore," Lord Grafton announced with clear glee in his voice.

"I helped Queen Kenna retake the Eyrie," the fat red haired man shouted at the top of his lungs, "I ensured your return to the Weirwood Throne …. Your Grace!"

"Yes, my Lord but you were one of the ones to ensure my downfall as well," Kenna said as she gripped the sides of her throne, "I saw you smile at my misfortune during my sister's funeral. I saw many people find enjoyment as my world was ripped from me."

Kenna took a beat to contain her bursting emotions at the mention of her sister's funeral then focused on the task ahead, "When Littlefinger died I went through his documents and his letters. I found one from you, my Lord, agreeing to look the other way as Lord Corbray and his men opened the gates of the Eyrie."

The open mouth of Lord Belmore quickly shut as his wrists where encircled by metal and he stood in-between Lord Lynderly and Lord Waxely.

Lord Grafton didn't have the chance to call out the final name as Ser Symond Templeton swung his sword at the nearest Arryn solider in a bid to cut through the wall that had stopped Lord Waxley's escape.

He didn't get very far, after his initial swipe, which the Arryn man had parried, he was swarmed and battered to the floor. The rouge knight was disarmed, hauled to his feet and dragged over to Lord Grafton to fill the last pair of restraints on the long chain.

Ser Templeton didn't say anything, he only spat blood onto the floor, knowing that his guilt and fate were confirmed by the wicked look Kenna held him with as he felt cold metal surround his hands.

* * *

"Open the Moon Door."

Kenna's words echoed around the High Hall as the spectators to her _justice_ watched the two-blood spattered wooden slabs of the Moon Door receded and a sharp gust of wind swirled around the room.

"Lord Lynderly, Lord Waxley, Lord Belmore, Ser Templeton," Kenna slowly pronounced as she followed the connecting chain from one Lord to the other.

"I know each of you conspired, successfully, to remove me from the Weirwood Throne and put Lord Petyr Baelish in control of the Vale. I congratulate you on a plan well thought-out and executed. Now it is time to pay for your actions but I am not without mercy my Lords," Kenna stated with a slight playfulness entering her demeanor.

"I am sure you have guessed by now that I intend to throw you all out the Moon Door for your crimes but if you confess and beg me for mercy I will relent. You will be released from your chains. You will be exiled from the Vale but your heirs and families will retain your titles and holdings. If you don't confess then your titles and holdings will pass to … more honorable and _loyal _houses upon your deaths."

Not one of the four chained Lord before her acknowledged her words.

Vale men were proud. So were Vale women.

Kenna drummed her fingers on the smooth surface of the old Weirwood seat as she struggled to contain her excitement.

"Lord Grafton please remove Lord Corbray's body and we can begin with the next dealing of justice," Kenna ordered as she surveyed the faces of the four Lords in turn, scouting for the cracks that were sure to form.

Lord Grafton did as his Queen bid him. He kicked the cooling body of Lord Corbray so that it rolled towards the Moon Door then vanished over the edge leaving behind a trail of red.

Lord Lynderly gulped as his eyes stayed on the spot were Lord Corbray's body had been.

_Let's start with you._

"Lord Lynderly confess or feel the wind upon your cheeks," Kenna rumbled enjoying playing out the vision she had held in her head for so long.

"I did nothing wrong," the visible distressed Lord repeated.

Kenna ignored the man's squeaks, "You betrayed me why?"

"I did not-"

"Enough," Kenna interrupted, having heard enough lies and wanting to demonstrate she was not playing around.

Lord Grafton kicked the back of Lord Lynderly's thin leg so the Lord crumpled to the floor.

"Wait I demand a trial by combat, wait, wait," Lord Lynderly yelled as he tried to fight off Lord Grafton from manhandling him.

It was a fight Lord Lynderly lost as Lord Grafton pushed him over the edge with relative ease.

After a few seconds the whining howls of the scared Lord could still be heard. He was dangling a meter below the Moon Door as his fellow traitorous Lords were holding up his weight through their common chain that was attaching each Lord to the others.

If one fell, they all fell.

"Unfortunately Lord Lynderly," Kenna shouted so the hanging Lord could hear her, "There will be no trial by combat as there is no doubt about your guilt. There is no doubt about anyone's guilt."

Kenna turned her attention to the next in line, and the Lord closest to the Moon Door.

"Lord Belmore," Kenna said as she eyed the fat red headed Lord, wondering if the two younger men at the back of the chain would be able to hold Lord Lynderly's weight as well as Lord Belmore's.

_Only one way to find out,_ Kenna chuckled to herself, enjoying the conundrum before her.

"Your Grace, I was instrumental in your bloodless return to the Eyrie. I pledge my future loyalty to you and only you," the greedy Lord desperately shot out as his hands gripping the metal chain started to get sweaty.

"Future loyalty," Kenna repeated back to him, "is that an admission that your past loyalty wavered from me?"

"I didn't support Lord Baelish, the Lannisters or the Tyrells when they captured the Eyrie."

"No, you did nothing … Tell me Lord Belmore what is the worth of a pledge of loyalty from a man that does nothing in your hour of need?"

"I didn't act against you," Lord Belmore tried again as the wind whipped around him.

Kenna waved her hand in a dismissive gesture and in the next second Lord Grafton had slashed his sword across the large Lords back causing him to lose hold on the chain.

Lord Waxley and Ser Templeton took up the slack and Lord Grafton sliced into the kneeling Lord again, herding the cut Lord so he crawled backwards towards the Moon Door.

"I confess, I confess," Lord Belmore yelled as he tried to still the sword point of Lord Grafton, "I conspired with Lord Baelish and Lysa Arryn. I did it."

"Too late," Kenna simply said with no compassion in her eyes.

Lord Belmore's eyes went really large as Lord Grafton tossed his sword to one of his men then grabbed the collar of the downed Lord and roughly dragged him over the rim of the Moon Door. The Lord's heavy weight did the rest as he disappeared from view and the increased strain on the chain was accompanied by swear words coming from the remaining two chained Lords as they fought to maintain their positions.

They were both struggling.

They wouldn't last much longer holding the weight of both Lord Lynderly who seemed to have passed out, just dangling like a rag doll at the bottom of the chain while Lord Belmore's screams could still be heard but his words were incomprehensible.

Ser Templeton exchanged a look with Lord Waxley and in the next instance the handsome knight was confessing his sins.

"I conspired with Lord Baelish and Lysa Arryn to ride the Vale of you. The Vale belongs to Robin Arryn not you," Templeton said quickly.

"So, there was no gain for you. You betrayed me solely in the name of my brother," Kenna said in a disbelieving tone, prying for the real reason.

The landed knight hesitated before he spoke next deciding honestly was the only thing that would get him out of his current predicament alive, "No, Lord Baelish promised me a Lord's title."

"Ah there it is. I am sure my little _brother _appreciates your support in his name but as you can see he is quite content to leave me to rule," Kenna said in an even voice knowing that the parentage of Robin would need to be discussed in the future but now was not the moment to declare sweet Robin Petyr Baelish's bastard.

"I confessed now release me," demanded Ser Templeton.

"No, I confess-," Lord Waxely tried realizing too late that with Ser Templeton free he would not be able to bear the weight of the two Lord's dangling below.

Lord Grafton swung his retrieved sword down in a flash.

Ser Templeton was free from his chains but a silent scream contorted his face as he fell sideways away from the chain.

Lord Grafton had separated his hands from the rest of his body. Ser Templeton's hands now lay on the floor a few inches away from where he was resting his head on the stone floor.

The landed knight cried out in pain on the floor, looking at the bloody stumps that he now had as hands. The young Lord Waxely flew past him as the weight of Lord Lynderly and Lord Belmore pulled him over the edge of the Moon Door. Their combined screams followed them all the way down until their bodies hit the stones of the valley below.

Kenna looked down upon the wailing knight with no remorse, "I am a woman of my word. Qyburn please see to Ser Templeton's wounds and if he survives send him on his way. He is no longer welcome in the Vale."

Qyburn nodded at the request and went to the still sobbing knight.

Kenna stood from her throne and scanned the large throng of people that stood below her. Her bright blue eyes connected with her husband's dull green ones.

_Welcome to the Eyrie,_ she thought vindictively. _Welcome to my home. I rule here._

* * *

Sansa observed how Queen Kenna stood from her Throne, guided by Lord Royce, and left the High Hall after giving Ser Jaime an intense glare. It took a further minute for her heartbeat to return to normal. Despite her violence filled captivity in King's Landing she still had not normalized blood and death in her mind.

And that is what she saw before her.

The floor around the Moon Door was painted crimson with the blood of Kenna's victims. In the midst of the red floor Qyburn was attending to the still whining Ser Templeton, trying to stem the flow of the maimed knight's blood. Sansa spied the knights two hands only a few inches away from where the knight lay, slightly curled into a ball. With what she had just witness Sansa knew that Kenna deserved her nickname.

_The Bloody Falcon indeed,_ Sansa agreed as she took in the image before her.

But Sansa didn't feel scared or threatened as she had in King's Landing.

_Is this how it feels when the monster is on your side?_ Sansa wondered as her thoughts shifted from the carnage in the High Hall to what the scene must be below the Moon Door.

* * *

**Kenna's personal chambers, in the Eyrie, Seat of power of House Arryn in the Vale, Capital of the Vale Kingdom **

_An hour later …_

* * *

Kenna gazed out her window, appreciating how the sunset illustrated the mountains and cast growing shadows across the land.

She had missed these views over the past few years. She had missed her home and her people. King's Landing simply didn't compare.

Kenna placed two hands on her large tummy as she continued to admire her Kingdom.

_I wonder if you will love this place as much as I do? _Kenna questioned her unborn child.

After another few moments of watching the sun go down Kenna heard a knock at her door. She slowly made her way towards the sound. There would only be a few people who would get past her guards at this late hour.

Her guess was proven correct as Lord Royce appeared through the door and greeted her.

"Your Grace."

"Yohn," Kenna said eyeing the bag the tall Lord held in one of his hands.

"Ah," Lord Royce said noticing where Kenna's attention had landed.

He walked past Kenna and placed the medium sized bag on the table.

"I know we have had an eventful day but I didn't think you would have forgotten about them," Lord Royce teased her in a manner only he could.

"I did not forget them," Kenna asserted as she placed a hand in the bag.

She pulled back her hand to reveal a small, feminine skull.

_Lysa Arryn._

Kenna slightly caressed the skull with both hands remembering all the conversations that they had shared within the very chamber that she now stood in.

No more conversations would happen between the women, at least Lysa Arryn would have no reply to any of Kenna's musings now.

_Maybe it wouldn't be so different after all,_ Kenna joked.

Kenna placed Lysa's skull on the front of her desk next to Euron's gaunt looking skull which laid next to the Mountain's enormous one which had been repurposed as an ink pot.

But the real prize was yet to be placed.

Kenna delved into the bag again and took out Littlefinger's skull. It was intelligent domed and asymmetrical. She positioned it in-between Lysa's and Euron's so that the Greyjoy and Valeman's skulls were in the middle.

Kenna stared at her fallen enemies recalling how each one had hurt her and recollecting their miserable ends in her mind.

She had carried the pain of her father and sister's deaths for so long and the hunger to avenge them. Now with the traitorous Vale Lord's deaths coupled with Littlefinger and Lysa's skulls placed on her desk she could fully release the fury and anger from her body. She had accomplished what she had set out to do when she had joined the War of the Five Kings and turned it into the War of the Five Kings and a Queen.

It felt like she was losing a little bit of herself as she let the previously tightly held pain pour out of her. But she focused on the good memories of her family to ground her to her new objective.

The welfare of her people and friends.

Lord Royce disturbed her fond memories, "Shall we discuss our next moves?"

"We shall," Kenna agreed as she made her way to sit behind her desk.

In the instance she sat down she felt the presence of the last person that had sat in her chair.

Tywin Lannister.

Kenna wondered what their official alliance would brining. Their fiery destruction or a lasting peace for all.

"Your Grace," came Lord Royce's voice, "We need to appoint your chosen members to the _High Council_."

Kenna raised her eyebrow, "The High Council?"

"I thought you wouldn't want to copy what goes on in King's Landing," Lord Royce said in a light tone behind a small smile.

"Mmmm, High Council I like it and I know who I want on it," Kenna said as she sunk into her chair and their discussion on the future began.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RIP
> 
> Lord Lyn Corbray (Stabbed and beheaded by Lord Royce on Kenna's orders with his own Valyrian sword Lady Forlorn now named Honour's Edge)
> 
> I have been looking forward to his death for a very fucking long time! He isn't Littlefinger or Lysa Arryn but he was instrumental in Kenna's downfall and her loss of power in the end of ARC I.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed the below deaths as well; I liked the combined aspect of them as they were all doomed by actions they took together.
> 
> Lord Jon Lynderly (Thrown out the Moon Door by Lord Grafton)
> 
> So this character is one that exists in the G.O.T universe and was one of Littlefinger's cronies so it made sense to me for him to be one of the traitors who betrayed Kenna when the Eyrie fell to the Lannisiters and Tyrells.
> 
> Lord Benedar Belmore (Slashed and sliced before being thrown out the Moon Door by his collar by Lord Grafton)
> 
> Like Lord Lynderly a real character but Lord Belmore was one of the Lords of Declarant in the Vale who opposed Littlefinger's influence in the Vale but he was suspected of being greedy and corrupt so I have assumed in my story/universe that Littlefinger actually got to him early but then Littlefinger dies and he switched sides.
> 
> Lord Edmund Waxley (Dragged out the Moon Door by the collective weight of Lord Lynderly and Lord Belmore)
> 
> A bit like Lord Belmore, he switched sides from Littlefinger to Kenna upon the former's death but Kenna isn't one to easily forgive so ….


	53. Legacy

* * *

A week later_ …_

**Small Council chamber, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister/Tyrell) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

"Margaery is pregnant," Tommen announced from the head of the table.

"Congratulations your Grace," Tywin said in an approving manner while keeping an eye on Olenna's reaction who sat opposite him to Tommen's left.

The prickly Lady didn't act surprised, likely she knew weeks ago.

"Tommen that is wonderful news. It seems Father you are going to have a great grandchild, a feat Lady Olenna will share with you," Tyrion said from beside his father.

Tywin decided to ignore his youngest's comment and looked straight at Lady Olenna, "Any news on Daenerys Targaryen?"

"She appears to be holed up in Mereen for now fighting fruitless rebellions but when she has crushed the masters in Mereen she will look to the west and we are underprepared for her," Olenna said pointedly.

"Grandfather I know Daenerys Targaryen is a threat but surely our main focus should be on getting my mother back," Tommen said forcefully.

Tywin controlled his facial features so he gave nothing away, "Of course your Grace. I have already sent Prince Doran a letter condemning the _kidnapping_ of your mother and demanding her safe return. However, one must never concentrate on one threat alone at a time when many are creeping up on you."

"Yes," Tommen agreed after thinking through his grandfather's words, "You are right."

A family member agreeing with him was a refreshing feeling. Tommen might make a good King yet, if he managed to hold onto his throne.

"What of Uncle Jaime and Aunt Kenna?" Tommen inquired showing genuine interest in what was going on in his realm.

"Queen Kenna has regained control of the Vale and reclaimed the Eyrie from Lord Baelish's man, the rebel Vale Lord Lyn Corbray," Tywin replied avoiding Tyrion's knowing gaze at the mention of Kenna.

"It was quite a _bloody _take over if the rumors are to be believed," Lady Olenna said behind calculating eyes, "I wonder what she is going to do next with her Golden army. I hear it is at least twenty thousand strong and that isn't taking into account the Valemen she will add to it."

"Knowing her past affiliation with Robb Stark I would not be surprised if she supported him in the Northern Civil war," Tyrion speculated behind entwined hands.

"Preposterous," Lord Mace blustered, "She is an ally to the Crown now and Robb Stark is an enemy."

"I think you will find that our alliance with Queen Kenna ensures that there is a truce between the Crown and the Vale. It does not dictate her actions to any third party," Tyrion replied dryly back at the Warden of the South.

Olenna leaned over the table towards the two Lannister men, "I also hear she is heavily pregnant. Are you going to smile Lord Tywin? You are going to be a great-grandfather and a _grandfather _again. House Tyrell will send it's congratulations to the Eyrie. Ser Jaime must be excited at the prospect of having his _first-born_ child."

Tyrion refrained from rolling his eyes at the incorrect statements in Olenna's words as he looked at his father who stayed silent a beat too long for the Queen of Thorns not to notice.

"I am sure my son like any soon-to-be father is apprehensive and praying to the gods daily," Tywin replied calmly as he ignored Tyrion's side-eyes.

"Maybe your son will be _allowed_ to visit King's Landing and we will be able to see the latest Lannister babe," Olenna subtilty jested, knowing the true predicament Jaime was in at the Eyrie.

"If my future _grandchild_ was going to leave the Eyrie it would be to Casterly Rock not King's Landing," Tywin said firmly.

Tommen innocently interrupted the silent battle going on between his grandfather and his good-grandmother, "I would like to see my future cousin. Maybe once Daenerys Targaryen has been taken care of, I will visit the Eyrie or Casterly Rock. I am sure Margaery will enjoy a change of scenery too."

"A pleasant idea," Tyrion said as he looked to wrap the meeting up, "Is there any other topic of discussion to be had? Or can we all get back to defending the realm from the inevitable invasion coming our way?"

"We are done here," Tywin quickly said, "We prepare as best we can for the invasion from the East and wait to see what the outcome is in the North."

Tyrion hopped out of his chair and bowed in the direction of Tommen before walking out the room. Lord Mace and Tommen followed the little Lord a few seconds later while discussing the state of the Royal Fleet.

* * *

"You are not telling me something," Olenna said across the deserted table while letting her fingers dangle of the edge of the chair's arms.

"I am not telling you many things," Tywin replied sharply.

"Really? I would think we share too many secrets together and done too many deceitful things together for you not to trust me completely now," Olenna fired back with a hint of sweetness in her voice.

Tywin voiced his distrust at the matriarch's honey coated words with a grunt.

"Come now Tywin do you expect me to believe that Oberyn Martell managed to untie his bonds and the first thing he did was to kidnap Cersei, not stick a spear in your gut," Olenna said while eyeing the large scar that covered his right hand, knowing it had appeared after Oberyn had tried to assassinate him in the Capital.

Seeing there was no way around telling Olenna the truth Tywin did so, "Cersei freed Prince Oberyn and fled with him to Dorne."

Olenna barely blinked at the revealed information, "And why would she do that?"

"She knows who is responsible for Joffrey's death," Tywin finally said.

"Does she now," Olenna murmured, "I presume she thinks it was only one person."

Tywin nodded.

"It must be a terrible feeling, knowing your father murdered your son," Olenna mused as she looked for any crack of emotion on Tywin's face.

She found none.

"This Small Council meeting is over," Tywin growled.

"I know but _our_ meeting has only begun," Olenna shot back, seemingly immune to Tywin's intimidation tactics.

"You told your grandson not to ignore any threat yet you are doing exactly that. Kenna Lannister is a threat which you are not taking seriously. She took all of King's Landing captive. She currently has your eldest son as a hostage. She has your desired heir in her belly. And by all accounts she is about to help out a direct enemy of the Crown with an army that will be at least thirty thousand strong if my scouts aren't complete idiots. Do you really think such a woman is controllable?"

"I know exactly what type of threat my own good-daughter poses. She will be handled when the time is right," Tywin replied through a tight mouth.

"She should have been handled when the Eyrie fell," Olenna tutted, and not for the first time. "Now the wounded Falcon has recovered and is flying high."

"Daenerys Targaryen is the most dangerous threat. She has _three adult dragons_," Tywin stressed, "an army of unsullied, a small horde of Dothraki backing her and the advice of experienced Westeros knights at her disposal. Kenna Lannister is an _ally_ in the fight against another Mad Dragon sitting on the Iron Throne. If she still poses a threat after then _I will deal with her_."

"Fine, I am sure her army will come in handy against the Targaryen girl," Olenna conceded then pivoting to another hinderance, "But let us not kid ourselves and think your daughter is just sitting idly in Dorne either."

"No, she will be crafting our doom as we speak," Tywin said hiding his sorrow at his daughter's actions and resisting the urge to touch the spot where she had driven a dagger in to him.

"Another threat that needs to be snuffed out however unfortunate," Olenna said with a sinister edge creeping into her old lady countenance.

"Leave my daughter and good-daughter to me," Tywin rumbled, "As Mistress of Whispers I expect regular updates on Daenerys Targaryen's movement and make sure Lord Mace prepares the Tyrell army for the forthcoming battles."

"My grandson is more suited to that task than my oafish son and don't worry _Tywin_ I have ears all over Essos and Westeros. If there is any interesting bits of gossip I will share them with you."

"I think this meeting is over _now_," Tywin said leaving no room to misconstrue the order behind his civil words.

"Yes, I think it is," Olenna relied without missing a beat and raised from her chair while smiling at Tywin.

Tywin only released the tension in his shoulders when the door banged and announced Olenna's departure.

The Queen of Thrones was a dangerous enemy to oppose but she was also a dangerous ally to trust.

* * *

_A few days later …._

**The High Hall, in the Eyrie, Seat of power of House Arryn in the Vale, Capital of the Vale Kingdom **

* * *

Kenna stood before the large painting of her family that hung on the wall of the High Hall. The painting showed happier times. Her proud father, her sweet mother, and two adventurous looking twin toddlers. To this day she didn't know which she had been in this painting. The one sitting on her father's right with a mischievous smile or the one on his left knee staring intensely?

All Kenna knew was that she was the only one left alive in the painting.

Kenna closed her eyes while letting out a soft breath. She didn't feel anger anymore. She had avenged her loved one's deaths so there was no one left to blame or turn her rage to.

Kenna rubbed her growing belly gently. She wasn't fighting for the past anymore. It was time to fight for the future.

A shuffling of feet behind her alerted Kenna to the existence of another in the room.

"Your Grace," Qyburn said half greeting his Queen half notifying her of his presence, "You sent for me?"

Kenna swiveled around to face the chainless maester, "Yes, I want your honest assessment of whether in my condition I could travel North."

Qyburn's eyes looked Kenna up and down resting briefly on her swelling belly, and if it was any other person, she would have sent them to the Sky Cells.

"You can travel but you wouldn't be comfortable and your child will be born in the North," Qyburn tempered.

"I can handle a bit of discomfort and I don't care where my child is born as long as everything goes well," Kenna said trying not to dwell on the image of giving birth.

"I will be with you during the birth and I will do everything I can to ease the process," Qyburn said in a knowing tone.

Men died on the battlefield; a woman's equivalent was the birthing chamber.

"Thank you," Kenna replied with warmth before looking over Qyburn's shoulder to the Weirwood throne, "I believe there is a High Council meeting which we are in danger of being late to."

"Well we can't have the Queen and the Grand Maester being late. Lord Royce might send a search party," Qyburn teased as his face softened.

"You joke Qyburn but I can see him actually doing that," Kenna chuckled as the odd allies walked together towards the High Council chamber.

* * *

_A few minutes later …._

**The new High Council chamber, the solar located in the arcade at the end of the Crescent Chamber, in the Eyrie, Seat of power of House Arryn in the Vale, Capital of the Vale Kingdom **

* * *

Kenna entered the room with Qyburn behind her, "My Lady, my Lords."

Half a dozen mutterings of "Your Grace" filled the cozy chamber as Kenna took her place at the head of the small trestle table. Qyburn took an empty seat in-between Lady Waynwood and Lord Redfort. Lord Royce and Lord Grafton sat closest to Kenna while Lord Hunter sat opposite Lady Waynwood.

Each member of the High Council sat in heavy oak-and-leather chairs, waiting patiently for their turn.

Kenna turned to her Master of Coin, "Lord Hunter, see to our coffers and designate the appropriate funds to go to the Golden Company. I do not want to be caught short when paying them."

_Not like Stannis did,_ Kenna finished her sentence in her head.

The middle-aged Lord stroked his bushy red mustache as he nodded, likely already counting in his head how much coin needed to be given to Commander Strickland and how much was going to be needed to restore the Vale army to its former glory.

"Lady Waynwood any whispers to share?" Kenna asked looking expectantly at the only other woman in the room.

"Many your Grace," Lady Waynwood smiled back, "we have received ravens from Robb Stark and the Wall."

"King Robb," Kenna corrected sharply as she clasped her hands together, "and what did they say?"

"_King Robb_ would like our help in the North Civil War," Lady Waynwood said clearly, "It seems like the Bolton Bastard is proving to be a problem. While the letter from Castle Black speaks of myths and walking dead men."

"And what does Ser Alliser Thorne want from the Vale?" Kenna asked.

"The same thing as his last dozen letters all but demanded. He requests we send an army to help defend the Wall from the so-called White Walkers," the wise woman said keeping her Queen's eyeline.

"Do they want an army to fight grumpkins and snarks too?" puffed Lord Hunter in blatant disbelief.

"I share your healthy suspicion, Lord Hunter. The only truth I believe is the one I can see," Kenna stated as she looked around the table, moving her eyes from one Vale noble to the next. "But I believe it is time to act and help our allies in the North. Lord Royce I charge you with mustering our forces and when we are prepared, we will march North to support King Robb."

Lord Royce slightly bowed his head, "Yes, your Grace."

"Our forces with the Golden Company should make quick work of Ramsey Bolton's armies too," Lord Grafton chimed in.

No one disagreed with moving to stabilize the North. The Starks were well liked in the Vale and those that were less inclined were being charmed by Sansa on a daily basis.

Lady Waynwood cleared her throat and waited for her Queen to turn to her.

"My Lady?"

"I was wondering if you might elaborate on our alliance with the Crown," the old Lady asked cautiously.

"Elaborate .. in what way is the alliance unclear?" Kenna asked slowly.

"We were at war with the Crown for a few years. Many of our brave soldiers have fallen to a Lannister and Tyrell blade. They captured the Eyrie; they took you and made you the Kingslayer's wife. After all this you still managed to maneuver yourself in a position to sit on the Iron Throne … then … you gave it back. The Knights of the Vale would have supported you not just as our Queen but as the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms."

"I understand your concerns and yes with the Golden Company and the Vale providing backup reinforcements I might have held onto King's Landing and the Tyrells and Lannisters might have dance to my tune with the hostages I would have kept but I did not forfeit the Iron Throne because I wanted to avoid a conflict with Tywin Lannister or Olenna Tyrell. I agreed an alliance with the Crown because I am not thinking about the next battle or the battle after that. I am thinking about the coming war with Daenerys Targaryen. A war you have to admit is beyond winnable with the Vale and Golden Company at my disposal only."

"You think it is winnable with the Lannisters and Tyrells on our side," Lady Waynwood shot back with premediated conviction.

The wizened Lady was testing her monarch.

"I think there is a better chance of defeating Daenerys Targaryen if we combine our strength with the Crown's," Kenna said diplomatically, aware that her answer was being scrutinized by all those sat around the table.

"And therefore, a better chance that the Vale will remain an independent Kingdom," Lord Royce finished for his Queen.

"And what of Jaime Lannister, he is currently being treated more like a hostage than our King," Lord Redfort said.

"That is because he is a hostage," Kenna answered dryly, "We have an alliance with the Crown but there is no need to trust on tradition and given words alone."

The table descended into stillness and silence as no doubt all gathered were thinking of Ned Stark's fate and his son's near death at the Twins.

Seeing the consensus before her Kenna switched subjects, "The next topic to be discussed is a personal one and one which I hope you will all agree with me on."

"It won't have escaped your notice that I am pregnant and therefore the line of succession must be discussed. Of course, when my child is born, he or she will be my heir but until then Artys will be my heir."

"Your sister's bastard?" Lady Waynwood said without hesitation.

_So, she knew all along,_ mused Kenna. S_he will prove to be a good pick for my Mistress of Whispers._

"Yes. If anything were to happen to me and my child during the birthing process then Artys _Arryn_ will lead the Vale under the direct guidance of the High Council."

All heads nodded in agreement except one.

"Lord Redfort?" Kenna questioned noting his muted response.

"I don't mean to be disagreeable my Queen but you have a brother and in the laws of succession it is he that should be your heir not your bastard nephew," the old Lord pointed out carefully.

"Normally I would agree with you but Robin is sadly not my brother," all the gathered Lords leaned forward except Lord Royce, "He is the bastard child of Lord Baelish and Lysa Arryn. He is not my father's son," Kenna said definitively.

"What proof do you have of that?" Lord Redfort inquired gently.

"Lysa confessed to me that she wasn't sure who Robin's father was."

"Did she confess this as you were about to kill her?" Lord Redfort pushed, testing her as Lady Waynwood had done.

"No," Kenna relied truthfully, Lysa had confessed when Robin's life had been threatened not her own, "But all that matters is that there is doubt about his parentage and what would you rather have as your ruler; the true born daughter of Jon Arryn or the probable bastard of Littlefinger?"

Lord Redfort's mouth twitched, "I am just doing my job as Master of Laws, your Grace."

"I know and I appreciate your honest opinion and you may always speak freely here," Kenna reassured from across the table before stating pointedly, "You may _all_ speak freely here."

"I agree with your proposal to change the line of succession," Lord Redfort said after a beat of silence.

And in a matter of words a bastard had been legitimized and made heir to one of the Seven Kingdoms while another had been cast asunder to a fate unknown.

* * *

Two weeks later_ …_

**Water Gardens, Sunspear, Seat of power of House Nymeros Martell, Capital of Dorne**

* * *

Cersei sat on a bench in one of the green alcoves of the Water Gardens, hidden from view from the rest of the celebration goers by fine shrubbery and tall palm trees.

Cersei looked down at her empty wine cup. Her precious daughter Consort to Dorne was celebrating her name day. Myrcella's position was in Sunspear was stable but Cersei couldn't help but feel befuddled surrounded by all the celebrations and well wishes that Myrcella received. She could tell the emotions and gestures were genuine from the gathered Dornish Lords and Ladies which was jarring enough for Cersei having spent her entire married life in King's Landing looking for the hidden meanings behind every false word.

Dorne was a place she had never visited before but the harsh sun coupled with the salt breeze being blown in from the sea was reminding her of happy memories in her childhood spent at Casterly Rock. She could feel her walls crumbling around her and her guard was slipping, whether this was due to exhaustion of keeping her mask always in place and her pregnancy or to the oddly familiar surroundings she didn't know.

All she did know was she was in a pit of vipers with no protection. There was nothing she had left to bargain with, Doran had extensively interrogated her on her own father's tactics and strategies. He now knew everything she did.

The only thing keeping Cersei going was her desire to see her father and little brother dead and her children safe.

_Father you are going to pay for killing Joffrey and Tyrion is going to suffer for killing my mother,_ Cersei thought as she gripped tighter on her empty cup to relive some tension.

"Can I offer you a refill," a seductive voice floated over to her from the open gate in the high hedge wall.

Cersei quickly spun to see Ellaria Sand walking towards her with a full jug of what looked like red wine in her hand and an empty cup in the other.

Cersei didn't offer the seat beside her on the bench but Ellaria settle there anyway and held out the jug.

After a few moments of strained silence, the stalemate between the two women was punctured by the laughter of nearby celebration goers and Cersei relented. She held out her cup.

Ellaria grinned as she poured, "I saw you slip away and since you are now the mother of the future Consort of Dorne I thought it was time to clear the air between us."

"Between us?" Cersei said as she sipped from her cup.

"Your family had me imprisoned and your Lord father nearly killed my lover, the father of my five children," Ellaria said as she took a mouthful of wine.

"I was not part of Oberyn's capture or your imprisonment," Cersei practically spat out.

"I wouldn't have believed your words before your arrival in Dorne but .. you look like a beaten woman. Who did that to your face?" Ellaria asked pointing to the scar that cut across her cheek.

"My good-sister," Cersei stated looking to the open gate across from where she sat, as if she wanted to leave this topic and place behind.

"Kenna Lannister, Oberyn has talked about her. He said some _interesting_ things about her and your own father," Ellaria flicked her eyes to Cersei but was disappointed that she clearly already knew the salacious news, "I suppose to someone who fucks her own brother the fact that her good-sister and father are fucking is not so shocking."

"She will die too," Cersei said looking away from the Dornish beauty.

"I think Oberyn would like that as well," suddenly Ellaria placed a hand gently on Cersei's face covering where her scar was.

Cersei was so stunned she didn't react for a few seconds and just stared into Ellaria's dark hazel eyes, the burning pain inside them was familiar.

Cersei batted Ellaria's hand away from her face and reiterated what she had said before, "I am not responsible for Oberyn's injuries or your imprisonment."

"Maybe you weren't but you didn't fail to insult me at your son's wedding did you," Ellaria said casting Cersei's mind back to that ill-fated day she lost her first born, "and some people think that maybe Oberyn's capture and my imprisonment needs a response to demonstrate that Dorne will not suffer anymore slights."

"And what kind of message would you want to send, _Sand_," Cersei growled.

Ellaria ignored Cersei's question, "How does the wine taste? Nothing like the swirl you served at your son's wedding, I hope. Doran would only serve the very best vintage of Dornish red wine for his good-daughter's name day."

Seeing Cersei faulter and look at the half empty cup in her hand Ellaria continued with a growing smirk on her face that was accompanied with the familiar fevered passion in her eyes, "Do you taste the sour grapes? The taste should linger on your tongue before it hits the back of your throat."

"What have you done," Cersei asked as she rose from her seated position, eyeing the cup in her hand with suspicion.

"Probably what you would have done if you were in my position," Ellaria replied cryptically as she too rose from the bench, watching Cersei's every move with excited anticipation.

Cersei sprinted to the open gate but Ellaria got there first and quickly closed it with one swift kick and blocked Cersei's exit.

They eyed each other up, they were the same height and of the same build but Ellaria had the presence of a fighter while Cersei looked uncomfortable.

Out of frustration Cersei threw her cup half-filled cup at Ellaria which soaked her face and neck in the red liquid.

Ellaria's tongue darted out and she tasted the sour wine dripping from her face.

"If you poisoned the wine then you are dead too," Cersei rasped out as she began to feel a tingling sensation in her throat.

"I will be quite fine," the Dornish bastard said confidently before returning Cersei's intense stare, "I have the antidote."

It took but a second for Cersei to react and lunge at Ellaria but the sun kissed woman had anticipated Cersei's burst of aggression and stuck out with her fist as Cersei advanced.

The result was a crunching sound signaling that Ellaria's fist had connected with Cersei's face.

Cersei tumbled to the floor, feeling hot blood rushing down her face from her now broken nose.

"You can't do this," Cersei yelled in desperation as blood dripped down her chin.

"Why not? Who is going to stop me? Your father?" Ellaria half laughed as she looked down at Cersei scrambling on the floor. "You need to realise that you are alone now. All you have is yourself. Not unlike being a bastard in that regard."

"You will be … you will be punished for this," Cersei stuttered as her mind tried to find a solution to her deadly predicament.

"You think Oberyn is going to let Doran do anything to me?" Ellaria stated arrogantly, "Your daughter maybe a Martell now but you are not. Besides you have told Doran everything you know about your father's way of thinking so you are of no use to Dorne anymore. Why should we keep you alive?"

Cersei half crawled half stumbled to the bench she had previously been sitting on and dragged herself to her feet as the world spun a little around her.

"My daughter … my daughter-"

"Will do nothing if she is smart," Ellaria said as she took out a little bottle from her sleeve and drank the contents before throwing it to the ground.

Cersei heard the bottle shatter on contact with the ground but then she also heard the creaking of a gate open.

"There you are my love, I wondered where you had gotten to," Oberyn said joyfully as he walked through the now open gate.

As soon as his eyes fell on Cersei, bloodied and beaten, his head snapped to Ellaria.

"Ellaria what have you done?"

"Just entertaining myself," Ellaria answered still looking down at Cersei.

"Give her the antidote now," Oberyn said forcefully assuming his lover's murderous intent as he went to a still standing but swaying Cersei and put a hand over her throat to check her pulse.

Cersei swallowed slowly and allowed Oberyn to guide her to a laying position on the bench as the Prince gave her busted and bleeding nose a good look.

"Ellaria she is still useful to us alive. I won't ask again, give me the antidote now," Oberyn shouted.

"I can't," Ellaria said without remorse as her grin increased in intensity.

"Why not?" Oberyn demanded, eyeing the slight bulge in Cersei's tummy.

"I know it has been awhile since you were at the Citadel but honestly you should have figured this little situation out by now," Ellaria said coyly as she took a few steps towards Oberyn and the downed woman.

It took another few seconds for Oberyn to register Ellaria's calm demeanour, "Ah ... you can't give me an antidote because you didn't poison her," Oberyn paused as he admired his lover's beauty, "You are in a playful mood."

Ellaria nodded slowly with seduction glowing from her eyes.

Cersei swore as she wiped away the blood that threatened to spill into her mouth, "What the fuck are you playing at?"

"You haven't spent enough time here in Sunspear to realise but it is really boring here. We all wait for Doran to make his decisions and he takes his time," Ellaria drawled not hiding her feeling of contempt for Doran's method of ruling.

Ellaria didn't miss the flash of disapproval from Oberyn at her words against Doran, "My love, you know I speak the truth. It is boring here and your brother regularly misses the opportunity to strike against our enemies."

"I thought I was enough to keep you occupied," Oberyn said mischievously, choosing to ignore the slights against his brother as he placed both his hands on her waist.

"You broke my nose," Cersei snarled as Oberyn and Ellaria kissed.

"Your family still nearly killed Oberyn," Ellaria said between kisses as if that was a suitable answer.

Cersei cleaned her face of blood the best she could as the flow slowed, readjusted all her clothes and ignored the throbbing pain that was spreading all over her face as she made her way to the open gate.

"Oh Cersei," Ellaria called to her, "if you should happen to get bored you will let us know won't you?"

Cersei heard her but powered on through the gate, determined to clean herself up properly before this silly little game ruined her daughter's name day.

She was nearly successful in her endeavour but for one eagle eyed spectator.

Doran's calculating eyes had found and narrowed on Cersei as she sought to slink through the crowd unnoticed. For one as tall as she was Cersei was doing a good job but Doran saw how she tried to cover her face and the speed at which she was walking was unnatural for one so trained in the art of looking regal.

Doran's gaze switched to his bother and Ellaria slipping into the crowd with face wide grins.

_Not a coincidence,_ Doran observed.

He sighed slightly. He had a very particular plan in place and although Cersei wasn't essential she was a cog in that plan he didn't want to have to replace.

Doran looked from his brother and his lover to his son who was doting on Myrcella.

It was nearly time to reveal his plan and it was going to effect everyone.


	54. Last Man Standing

* * *

A day later_ …_

**Small flowing river just outside of the gates of King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister/Tyrell) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Tyrion made his way down the small stony steps as his red clad guards followed in his shadow. He heard the rush of running water and the cool air hit his face as his feet found soft ground instead of stone. He walked confidently past half a dozen Lannister guards to see his father sitting on a rock with a fishing rod in his hand.

His father looked almost peaceful, waiting for some unfortunate fish to nibble on the bait dangling at the end of his fishing rod. The only sign of what was going on behind his eyes was the rhythmic tapping of his foot.

_Maybe that is how he sees the world. We are all fish doomed to fall into one of his traps,_ Tyrion mused as he cleared his throat to announce his presence.

"Tyrion," he greeted without moving from his seated position.

"Father, you summoned me," Tyrion said to his father's back gesturing with his hands as if he had just appeared out of nowhere.

"I have made a decision on Dorne," Tywin stated as he concentrated on the water in front of him, "I agree with your plan."

"Really," Tyrion said as he shuffled forward so he was a foot away from the running water.

He copied his father and stared into the water, "There will be repercussions that could lead to Cersei being put in a …. delicate position."

"She has already put herself in a delicate position. What you propose won't change that," Tywin said steadily as he felt a bite on his line.

Tyrion nodded but there was slight confusion in his eyes, "After everything she has done, she is still your daughter."

"A daughter that has all but destroyed my legacy," Tywin started to reel in the fish he had caught, "a daughter that stabbed me without remorse then released and fled with a dangerous enemy who also tried to kill me."

"Let us not pretend she didn't have cause for those actions," Tyrion said looking at the scar on his father's hand, knowing both Cersei and Oberyn had marked his father.

"You are defending your sister?" Tywin asked surprised as he unhooked the struggling fish, "If your roles were reversed, I suspect she wouldn't be doing the same for you."

"What can I say I am being the bigger person," Tyrion laughed out as he couldn't resist making the joke.

Tyrion's laughter came to an end as his father thrusted the fishing rod into his hands, which was longer than Tyrion was tall, and pointed to the rock he had just vacated.

Tyrion hesitantly made his way to the rock as if unsure what was expected of him.

Tywin bashed the still struggling fish on a nearby rock, "Are you sure your man is up to the job and that our conspirator in Sunspear can be trusted?"

"What Bronn? Of course, he is the best killer I know," Tyrion said before placing a piece of bait on the hook, "as for our potential conspirator I think they can be trusted to be an agent of chaos, nothing more."

Tywin grunted in response as he started to gut the fish with a small knife. He looked up at his son who was watching him, "You catch more fish in the water than out of the water."

Tyrion rolled his eyes but he flung the line into the water, "I am not a fisherman."

Tywin threw the gutted fish into a waiting basket, "No you are my son and you will be whatever House Lannister needs you to be as I have been all these years."

Tyrion grumbled underneath his breath but scrutinized the area around his bait with eager eyes.

"Now that we agree on our plan of action for Dorne," Tyrion switched his gaze from his father to the river before him, "We still need to decide on what must be done in the North. I hear my good-sister is making her way to Robb Stark as we speak with a forty-thousand strong army that includes the famed Golden Company and is heavily pregnant."

"Not an unexpected or particularly dangerous development for us," Tywin said as he watched his youngest grip the fishing rod tightly from his crouched position near the fish basket.

"Not dangerous," Tyrion scoffed, "I would say the North and the Vale combining forces and travelling South might be a problem with the Dornish chomping at the bit to attack from the South and the Targaryen girl coming from the East. You put a lot of faith in the Tyrell army if you think they could hold off the advances of both Doran Martell and Daenerys Targaryen until a Lannister host has dealt with a threat from the North."

"The Vale won't turn on us and the North will not join forces with Daenerys Targaryen for one simple reason," Tywin said confidently.

"Pray tell? We haven't exactly been friends to either of them," Tyrion said thinking about past events before suddenly shouting, "Son of a whore."

Tywin watched Tyrion reel in his empty line, "Because Kenna Lannister and Robb Stark want independence, which Daenerys Targaryen will never allow."

"Of course, why would you give Kingdoms independence when you can simply have a dragon threaten to raze it to the ground if they don't bend the knee," Tyrion said dejectedly, "It will be like a repeat of Aegon the Conquer."

"Try again," Tywin ordered in a stern voice, breaking Tyrion from his thought pattern.

"Excuse me?"

Tywin pointed to the idle fishing rod in his son's hands, "Lannister's don't simply give up. Cast your line again."

Tyrion did as he was told and he heard the plop of the bait sinking into the watery abyss.

"If the Arryn forces in the North was expected I suppose you have a plan?" Tyrion half murmured resuming his machinations as he worked on catching another fish.

"I thought you said you had a plan?"

"Must I do all the work," Tyrion teased but quickly sobered at his father's annoyed look.

"If we assume Robb Stark will once again rule the North from Winterfell, which is highly likely with Kenna on his side, then he has a choice to make," hypothesis Tywin, "To either align himself with the Crown and fight for a free North or against the Crown and endure subjugation under a Targaryen who has three grown dragons."

"I am pretty sure I know which option he would personally prefer," Tyrion stated knowing that the hatred between the Lannisters and Starks ran deep.

"It doesn't matter which option_ he_ would prefer. It matters what option is best for the North. He is a Stark they do what is best for their people and their honour, even if it gets them killed. All our petty squabbles with each other will mean nothing when the Daenerys Targaryen returns to these shores. She will blaze a path straight to the Iron Throne and all the power that the high Lords of the Seven Kingdoms have accumulate will mean nothing in the face of three dragons."

"You really think he will see that fighting with us is the best option."

"If he doesn't, Kenna will convince him or _destroy_ him."

"I understand why she would want to convince him but why would she destroy him if he refuses to listen to reason? You are aware they made quite an effective partnership during the war."

"Kenna understands that if the Targaryen girl was to ascend to the Throne, we are all dead. Our family names will turn to ash. What do you think she will put first; her future family and continuation of her House or her friendship with Robb Stark and the North."

"I know what you would do Father but she isn't you. She won't destroy entire houses to get what she wants," Tyrion said firmly.

His father's silence indicated his disagreement.

Tyrion felt the sweat gathering on his palms, "So you are leaving the North to be either charmed or cowed by Kenna? Does she know that is her job?"

"Yes."

"You discussed this with her?" Tyrion voiced his surprise.

"She knows we need a united Seven Kingdoms to resist a Targaryen invasion and that Varys has identified her as a future threat to Daenerys Targaryen," Tywin replied.

"Oh really," Tyrion said before nearly being pulled off the rock he sat on by the force on the line.

"What .. of … the Greyjoys?" Tyrion puffed disjointedly as he fought to reel in the fish, "they still have a considerable navy that could harass our western coast and attack our undefended holdings."

"I intend to treat with Balon Greyjoy and offer him what he has always wanted. Independence."

"I thought you were against handing out independence and now you offer two more Kingdoms their freedom," Tyrion said before yelping in joy as he pulled a fish out of the water so that it dangled on the hook over dry land.

"I am but it is better to be the King of four Kingdoms than no Kingdoms," Tywin reasoned as he watched his son struggle to control the rod and the fish, "Besides Kingdoms can always be conquered again."

"Smart, I guess. The Vale, North and Iron Islands will combine forces with us to defend what is theirs in theory and if we succeed in defeating the Dragon Queen we can set about reclaiming all the Kingdoms in Tommen's name," Tyrion's struggle with the fish came to an end as Tywin grabbed the flapping creature and threw it into the basket.

"I had that," Tyrion fumed before finishing his thoughts, "Your master planning all hinges on being able to kill three dragons."

Tywin started to count the fish in the basket, "Dragons have been killed before."

"Yes, mainly by other dragons," Tyrion stressed.

"And by scorpions," Tywin stated as he put the lid on the basket, "Queen Kenna assured me she had someone working on updating the design of the instrument that felled Meraxes and Queen Rhaenys."

Tyrion shook his head slightly, knowing that the shot that had killed Meraxes had been a lucky one to the eye of the famed beast, "Kenna will give birth in the North and Jaime is with her. Do you really have no plan to get him and the babes?"

Tywin's back straightened as he picked the basket up, "One problem at a time."

"That is not how you operate," Tyrion pointed out, "and we both know it."

"Inform your man Bronn of his mission, "Tywin demanded ignoring his son's last comment, "I will ride North soon with the majority of the Lannister army to treat with Balon Greyjoy and apply pressure to the North. You will handle Dorne and alert me immediately if Daenerys Targaryen decides to move from Mereen."

And with that last sentence Tyrion was left holding an empty fishing rod. He went to throw it into the river but he lowered his arms when a thought struck him.

That was probably the most father-son bonding activity they had ever done.

Tywin had taught Jaime how to fish when he had been a child at Casterly Rock. Tyrion had just received a lesson too but the fish he was to catch weren't in the river.

* * *

_Same day during the evening …_

**Courtyard in Winterfell, Seat of power of House Bolton in the North **

* * *

"Winter is coming," Ramsey said in a voice imitating Eddard Stark. "Winter is nearly here, and with it the wolves are coming back home."

"You all would like that wouldn't you?" Ramsey accused as he swivelled on his chair to face his prisoners.

All their faces were highlighted by the burning torches his men were carrying as they patrolled around the courtyard of Winterfell. Wyman Manderly stood tall and proud behind the bars of his cage, beside him was Lady Lyanna Mormont who barely reached the Lord of White Harbours hips, and behind them was Robett Glover the new Lord of Deepwood Motte. There were maybe a dozen more Northern Lords and Ladies cooped up in the same cell but those three were the only ones that dare face Ramsey's sinister smile.

"Aye, the wolves are coming. And they are coming for your head," Lord Manderly spat through the bars that held him.

"Not if I get their heads first," Ramsey said taking a knife from his belt and inspecting it, "And if there is no Starks left it might as well be a Bolton that rules the North. Of course, if I can I'll marry Arya Stark so that the bloodline carries on."

"King Ramsey," he muttered to himself as he saw his reflection in his blade.

A determined voice rang out into the cold air, "There is only one King in the North and his name is Stark. Your name is Ramsey Snow."

"Actually," Ramsey stood up from his seated position and strolled casually to the open aired cell, "my father legitimised me before I stabbed him through the heart so I am a Snow no longer."

Ramsey was met with only cold defiance from the small Lady that he now stood in front of.

Ramsey matched the little Lady's grey eyes with his own haunting ones, _I am going to have so much fun with you._

Just before Ramsey was about to grab Lyanna and play out the thoughts in his head Lord Glover push the Lady of Bear Island aside and placed his hands on the bars, "Your last name might have changed but you are a bastard through and through and you will die like a bastard when King Robb gets here."

"In my experience my Lord, men all die the same," in the next instance Ramsey's knife was imbedded in Lord Glover's throat and he fell to the ground trying to stop the blood flowing from his neck around the blade.

"In agony and pain," Ramsey finished as he watched Lord Manderly remove the blade from his fellow Lords throat.

Ramsey was very familiar with both concepts.

Within seconds it was clear Deepwood Motte needed another Lord.

Ramsey took in a deep breath; he knew he shouldn't have killed Lord Glover but he had made up his mind on his next move and one more dead Northern Lord wouldn't matter now.

Ramsey walked away from the chaos he had caused; it was time to go on a hunt.

* * *

_A few days later …_

**The Silent Storm's deck, Somewhere in the Shivering Sea**

* * *

"Can you feel it?" Kenna asked softly looking out into the icy waters as the _Silent Storm _navigated its way through the rolling waves.

"I beg your pardon your Grace?" Sansa replied as Kenna occupied the space beside her.

"You are home Sansa. These waters are a part of the North. A part of you. Do you feel at home?"

"Truthfully your Grace I won't feel at home or truly safe until my eyes see the walls of Winterfell or I feel the warm embrace of my siblings around me."

"A sensible answer," Kenna replied thoughtfully as she fidgeted with the blades on her wrists then lightly rubbed her growing belly, "I often think that a sense of safety isn't fostered by walls but by the people you surround yourself with."

A lax voice interrupted the moment between the two high born ladies, "I agree and forgive me for saying it but I don't feel very safe."

Sansa caught sight of the cocky smile and mane of blond hair and immediately excused herself.

Jaime replaced Sansa by Kenna's side, leaning against the railing of the ship, "Was it something I said?"

"Something you did actually."

"I have done a lot that might upset little Sansa Stark. Please be a bit more specific."

Kenna smirked at Jaime's unabashed confidence ready to tear it to shreds, "I think it might _specifically_ be the fact you threw her brother off a tower because he saw you fucking your _sister_. Then again it might be the fact you belong to a house that is responsible for _murdering_ her _father_ and _mother_ and forcing her into an unwanted marriage. Or it could be that you are a massive cunt. We will never know for sure but I assume all three reasons contributed to sweet Sansa Starks retreat."

Jaime's anger flared in his face as he fired back looking at Kenna's swollen tummy, "I may be a massive cunt but you are a whore. Who is the father? Because I know it isn't me. Did you finally take Lancel into your bed?" He baited with forced glee in his voice, "If my father was to learn that his precious heir is a bastard, he would rip you apart. Nothing would save you from his wrath."

_He already knows and I am still in one piece, for now anyway, _Kenna chuckled to herself as she contemplated burning Jaime's world to the ground as he had done to Sansa.

Kenna's vengeful nature won out as she turned her cumbersome body to Jaime to get a good look at his face, "What if he already knows? What then Jaime?"

Jaime's face contorted into a confused picture as he tried to decipher Kenna's words. His eyes slightly widened as his mind wandered over the truth. His mouth opened then closed as words failed to come out.

Luckily, he was spared from having to sound out the garbled thoughts in his brain as Lord Royce and Artys approached.

"My Queen," Lord Royce greeted.

"Ah perfect timing my Lord. It seems my husband is exhausted please see him to his chambers."

Jaime still remained silent as Lord Royce bowed and then roughly grabbed the still stunned man so that he was more dragged than guided back to his quarters.

"What are we doing here," Artys said waving to their watery surroundings as he watched Lord Royce and Jaime disappear below deck.

"_I _am coming to the aid of a friend," Kenna stated simply, "and _you_ are being a pain in my ass. What were you thinking stowing away on my ship? You are the heir to the Vale your place was at the Eyrie not here."

"My place is fighting for the people I love and I think I am in exactly the right place to do that," Artys declared nervously as he squared up to his pregnant aunt, they were the same height now and Kenna was sure he would grow taller still.

Kenna puffed out a breath of air, "Artys, everyone has a role to play to support and protect the Vale. Yours was to remain at the Eyrie and learn how to rule it in my absence so if anything was to happen to me you could take over."

"Well we will just have to make sure nothing happens to you then," Artys said strongly back at Kenna, still holding his ground in their conversation.

Kenna shook her head at Artys's stubborn statement but it brought a proud smile to her face anyway. He was so much like Alyssa in spirit, it hurt that he was almost identical to Euron in appearance.

"Oh, and I meant why are we not already with King Robb. We should be vanquishing the Bolton traitors by now," Artys roared in excitement bringing the discussion back to its original start point.

"Because dear nephew I am not a God, I do not command the waves or the wind. We will get there when we get there," Kenna said observing the joyful gleam in his light blue eyes at the vision of dispatching Bolton soldiers.

Kenna smirked, "You have been spending too much time with Lord Grafton, it seems his blusterous nature is rubbing off on you."

Artys looked away from Kenna to the dark depths of the sea parting around them, "I just don't want to disappoint anyone."

"Who are you afraid to disappoint? Me? Because I hold nothing but pride for the man you have grown to become and I know my sister will have felt the same too," Kenna said in a tender voice.

Arty's face wobbled with emotion and Kenna pulled the young man into a deep hug.

"We are Arryns, we are as high as honour," Kenna murmured.

_We will remain as all our enemies crumble below us._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RIP
> 
> Lord Robett Glover (Ramsey stabbed him through the throat)
> 
> This death was more to demonstrate that Ramsey doesn't have great impulse control and is always on the edge of killing someone. He is basically a smart rabid dog but he is a highly unpredictable opponent that still poses a deadly risk to Robb Stark. But again, Lord Glover's death didn't seem to faze or disrupt Ramsey's future plans so he doesn't fear the consequences...


	55. Now it Begins

* * *

A week later_…_

**Water Gardens, Sunspear, Seat of power of House Nymeros Martell, Capital of Dorne**

* * *

Cersei listened attentively to Myrcella as she tried to explain to her mother how comfortable Trystane had made her feel when she had first arrived in Sunspear.

"He would always make sure I wasn't alone," Cersei heard her daughter say but as she took a sip of the exquisite Dornish red wine in her hand her eyes found Oberyn and Ellaria who were fawning over each other on the same table where Doran sat observing everything around him.

She didn't know why but an unsettling feeling gripped her stomach and she tried once again to refocus on her daughter.

"I know he isn't faking his feelings for me; he genuinely loves me … and I love him," Myrcella admitted gently to her mother knowing that her relationship with Robert Baratheon had never held any love.

"That is wonderful to hear Myrcella," Cersei said with true emotion and placed a tender kiss on her daughter's forehead.

When she drew back, she saw a smiling Trystane filling her vison.

"May I have this dance with my beautiful wife," he said charmingly behind Myrcella's back.

Myrcella turned to look at Trystane's open hand then back at Cersei as if to check she would be fine on her own.

Cersei smiled pleasantly, "You don't need my permission."

Myrcella gave her mother a shy smile then took Trystane's hand. He started to twirl her around the dance floor and the young couple disappeared into the throng of dancing Dornish nobles.

Cersei would be lying if she didn't admit she felt the loss of Myrcella's company but she was happy for her daughter. Hopefully Trystane would stay true to his obvious feelings of infatuation with Myrcella and they could have what Cersei and Robert never could.

Cersei settled for leaning back against the pillar that was behind her and watching the feast go on around her. She was perfectly placed to spy from the edges of the celebration; the dance floor was in front of her and Doran sat at the high table to her right, to her left beyond the dance floor were many groups of nobles mingling and no doubt gossiping about the purpose of the current celebration feast. There were also servants that pottered around the chatting nobles and guards that lined the outer edges of the feast.

She briefly crossed eyes with Doran, who lifted his drink to her in acknowledgement and she copied the motion in reply.

_No reason not to be civil,_ Cersei concluded as she returned her eyes to the bustling crowd that threatened to spill over into the dancing couples.

_Wait … who is that?_ Cersei questioned in her mind as she caught a flash of a vaguely familiar face walking through the crowd.

She tried to follow in the yellow garbed man's footsteps but a few Dornish nobles tried to engage her in conversation and by the time she had managed to maneuver out of them she had lost line of sight to her quarry.

"Blast," Cersei swore to herself as she stepped in the shade of a tall white building that was covered in dark green vines.

She wasn't far from the feast Doran was putting on, she could still see the Dornish leader through the crowd of people in-between them, he was speaking to the gathered nobles.

_Probably revealing why we are all here_, Cersei theorized.

She was interested in knowing what Doran was up to but she didn't want to return to the jovial atmosphere. The only reason she would was Myrcella but she was content, swaying in Trystane's arms. The last person she needed right now was her mother.

So, Cersei stayed where she was, sipping wine being watched by two yellow coated guards stationed at the exit from the Water Gardens. They were trying their best to discreetly observe her but Cersei was used to being watched and whether that was in King's Landing or in Sunspear the tingling feeling along her spin remained the same.

She temporarily forgot about the familiar face in the crowd, she could have been wrong anyway, and appreciated the rare quite spot she found herself in as she took another sip of red wine.

* * *

"Fellow proud Dornsh Lords and Ladies I have asked you here today to celebrate with me as I announce a new direction for Dorne," Doran's voice rang out and reverberated around the open air of the gardens, "House Martell and House Targaryen are once again aligned. When Daenerys Targaryen's armies land in Westeros the might of the Dornish will follow her."

There was a buzz of muttering amongst the crowd but Doran silenced then with a raised hand.

"I know this alliance may surprise some of you. House Martell and House Targaryen have not enjoyed the best history," Doran said glossing over the betray of Elia by Rhaegar, "but this is about the future not the past."

Doran flicked his eyes to his brother who seemed indifferent to the announced alliance. Doran held his brother's eyes; the next message was for him.

"With the Dragon Queen we can strike comfortably at those that have wronged us," Doran said while thinking about one man in particular and he was sure his brother was now too.

_The Old Lion will feel the Viper's bite._

"We will march and we will avenge my sister Elia and my niece and nephews deaths," Doran uncharacteristically roared.

Doran held up his wine goblet, "To Elia."

Oberyn's was the second cup to join Doran's and a few seconds later there was a sea of cups shining in the Dornish sunlight.

Then something else gleamed in the sunlight as it whizzed over all the raised goblets.

Doran dropped his raised cup to clutch at his chest as he cried out in pain.

An arrow was protruding from just below his collar bone. The crippled man slipped from his chair to the ground with a soft thud so he was now obscured from the crowd by the table he had sat at.

Oberyn was the first to react. He leapt from his chair and away from Ellaria as he rushed to his fallen brother.

"Doran," Oberyn panicked as he saw the blood of his brother mingling with the Dornish red wine spilt on the floor.

"Don't try to move," Oberyn said down to his brother as he took in the scene.

"Someone get Maester Caleotte," Oberyn yelled out to no one in particular as Areo Hotah appeared above him.

"Find the person responsible for this now," Oberyn demanded to the giant black man as he contained the urge to do it himself as his brother started to tug on his sleeve then grip his wrist.

"Destroy them both," Doran gurgled.

_What?_ Oberyn thought as he tried to apply pressure the wound around the arrow, desperately trying to stop the flow of blood out of his brother.

"The Lions and the Dragons … kill them both," Doran managed to spit out as he felt the cold come for him, "For Elia."

"I don't understand," Oberyn said confused. Destroying the Lannisters he understood but they had just announced their alliance with Daenerys Targaryen, unless that was just another one of his brother's secret plans. Oberyn never could keep up with Doran's schemes.

God how he wished his brother would have shared more of his ideas and machinations with him.

"Father," Trystane wept as his shadow covered his dying father.

But it was too late. Doran's eyes closed and the tight grip on Oberyn's wrist started to loosen until his hand slipped to the floor.

Oberyn could now only look into the lifeless eyes of his brother as they stared upwards towards the sun. He rose slowly from his crouched position and let Trystane hover over his father's body.

His nephew was crying and his whole body was trembling. So was Oberyn's but for different emotions. Trystane was upset. Oberyn was angry.

Oberyn looked in the direction that Areo Hotah had gone in with a dozen Dornish guards. He started to sprint to catch up with the huge bodyguard, intent on killing the perpetrator responsible.

He looked back once at his brother's body to see that Myrcella had joined Trystane, placing a delicate hand on his shoulder and that Ellaria now loomed over the young couple while peering at Doran's body.

That image set of a thought in Oberyn's head as he continued to sprint past the shocked Dorshish nobles, _where was Cersei?_

* * *

"Get off me," Cersei shouted as Areo Hotah roughly grabbed her and pinned her against the white stone of the tower behind her with one large hand on her shoulder.

"What happened here?" the tall man demanded looking at the two guard's fresh corpses.

"A man came out of the tower with a crossbow and shot one of the guards, then killed the other one with a sword," Cersei squeaked trying to release herself from the strong man's grip and pointing to the discarded crossbow on the dusty floor.

"Where did he go?" Areo Hotah's eyes burned into Cersei as he sought to avenge the death of his liege.

Cersei pointed towards the exit gate from the Water Gardens, to the street that connected the Gardens with the rest of Sunspear.

Areo Hotah turned slightly and looked through the gate. He saw a yellow clad man mounting a horse, the man looked behind to see the scene of Cersei pinned to the white wall and quickly turned back to urge his horse forward.

Areo Hotah released Cersei and ran towards the mounted man, "Stop."

The man kicked the horse on as his pursuers rushed at him. There was only a dozen meters between him and the raging Dornish men. But as soon as his horse started to gallop away, he would be fine.

He was wrong.

Areo Hotah launched his spear at the horse and a second later the hit was confirmed as the horse whined and collapsed to the floor unseating its rider.

Areo Hotah and the dozen Dornish men surrounded the lone man who had regained his feet.

"Who are you and who sent you?" Areo Hotah shouted.

The man only smiled back and readied his sword.

"I know who he is," Cersei said in a surprised tone to herself, recognizing the rugged face now as she watched the Dornish men started to advance on the lone fighter.

"Who is he?" a dark voice came from behind her.

She spun around to see Oberyn standing behind her, slightly out of breath. He had blood on his hands and his normally twinkling eyes were filled with a cold intensity.

_What in the Seven Hells has happened?_ Cersei thought.

She looked beyond Oberyn back at the gathering, no one was dancing or celebrating now and she couldn't see Doran anywhere. Her eyes were drawn to Oberyn's bloody hands again.

_Doran …_ her mind pieced together.

"Who is he?" Oberyn repeated as he pulled out two daggers from his belt in a threatening manner.

Cersei could hear metal on metal behind her, "He is Ser Bronn of the Blackwater, my brother's man."

Oberyn nodded, not surprised by the information and brushed past Cersei, who let out a held breath as Oberyn passed her, to see that Bronn was now lying flat on his back, holding his shoulder as blood seeped between his fingers. Multiple sword points hovered above him.

Oberyn stared at the defeated assassin and pondered for a moment whether to end his life now. He decided that would be too easy and too quick a death for someone who had murdered his brother. His death was going to last and it was going to be painful.

"Bring him," Oberyn ordered as he turned back, "and bring her too."

Bronn was disarmed roughly then pulled up. Some Dornish men tied his hands behind his back while others grabbed at Cersei's arms and started to pull her forwards.

Cersei didn't resist, there was no point in trying while Bronn fired insults with every breath until Areo Hotah punched him in the face, knocking him out cold so he was limply dragged in-between two Dornish guards.

* * *

_A few days later in the middle of the night…_

**Library, The Dreadfort, Two Weeks march from Winterfell**

* * *

"Why am I here Jon?" Robb questioned to brother as he appeared through the doorway to the small library.

Jon jumped up from the chair he had been sitting in and Robb spied behind him that Arya too had been invited to this clandestine meeting. Robb was happy to see Arya had returned to her cat like self after her recent injury. He never heard her enter rooms until she was right on him and she had proven to be a better fighter than most of his own men.

Arya did not rise as he had entered but merely stayed perfectly still in her cross-legged position in the huge oak chair.

"Robb, I wanted to .. I needed to talk to you about beyond the Wall," Jon struggled to say knowing his brother's opinion on the topic already.

"I sincerely hope you haven't kept me up to this godforsaken hour to walk about your bloody White Walkers," Robb moaned, "I have already said I will not move my armies to fight a threat which hasn't been verified. We have so many enemies to defeat without adding imaginary ones to the list."

"You don't believe my word?" Jon said in a sullen manner.

"I .." Robb hesitated before continuing, "I believe you Jon but I cannot stake the entire fate of the North on your word alone. I need proof. Once we have retaken Winterfell you are free to go get me that proof and I will march my armies right behind you to the Wall but do not ask me to take a leap of faith. I did that once before," Robb stated remembering fond memories of Talisa, "and it only ended in chaos and loss for the North."

Jon held his ground, "I understand. I do but that isn't what I really wanted to discuss."

Robb gestured for him to continue as Arya just sat and observed both her brothers.

"The North army alone will not be enough to hold back the undead … if the threat proves to be real," Jon pointed out nervously, "We will need more men."

At Jon's solemn look Robb's face dropped, "You mean the Tyrells and the Lannisters as well don't you?"

Jon nodded slightly.

Robb started to pace in the space between his sister and brother, "Kenna Lannister and her Vale and Golden Company army is on its way but do not ask me to combine forces with Tywin Lannister or those fucking Tyrells traitors."

Jon and Arya's blank faces greeted him and Robb couldn't understand how calm they were being discussing allying with their greatest enemies.

The Lannisters killed our father," Robb shouted as the rage boiled over as he looked from one sibling to another.

"We won't need just the Lannisters," Jon said quietly, "We will need everyone."

Robb laughed knowing that the Seven Hells would _freeze_ over before a Targaryen, a Lannister and a Stark agreed to fight together and for each other.

His laughter was stopped when a small hand curled around his lower arm.

"You need to listen," Arya said in a no-nonsense way that caught Robb's attention, "There is no point fighting the Lannisters and avenging Father if we are all going to be wiped out by another threat."

"Are you talking about Daenerys Targaryen of Jon's White Walkers?" Robb jested.

"Both and if this world can contain Dragons why not White Walkers?" Arya questioned with purpose.

Robb looked between his sister and his brother. He realised they were only trying to help, not make his job of ruler harder. He relented.

"I will always do what is best for the North, whether that is killing Lannisters or joining forces with them to kill your White Walkers," Robb conceded to his siblings, "but I still need evidence that they exist before I move even one man towards the Wall. Ramsey Snow won't kill himself."

"Agreed. And they are not _my_ White Walkers," Jon grumbled back.

"Now that is sorted there is another matter, I want to discuss with you both," Rob said glad to be moving on from the current topic of discussion."

Robb walked up to Jon, "I want you to be my heir," seeing Jon's early protests Robb cut him off, "I won't take no for an answer and besides if I die then you can march the North army to the Wall your bloody self."

"Robb what about Arya and Sansa?" Jon asked glancing at Arya who didn't look bothered by the recent development at all.

"They are girls and as much as Arya would like she cannot lead men into battle. The coming years will be bloody and filled with war. I need a male heir that can continue where I left of if I fall and keep the support of the Northern Lords."

Jon remained silent as the snow tapped against the small window of the library.

Arya broke the quite of the library, "You going to answer him or not?"

Jon looked from Arya to Robb, "I will be a Stark?"

"Yes, you are my father's son and you have always been a Stark," Robb said with hidden emotion.

Jon bowed before his King and accepted his new position.

"I King Robb, First of my Name, King in the North declare you Jon Stark, heir to Winterfell and the Kingdom of the North."

All three Starks smiled. This had been a long time coming but Jon was now officially their brother, not that it had affected their feelings for each other but Arya and Robb knew Jon's status as a bastard had weighed on him.

The happy moment was interrupted as clashed of metal and screams of pain filled the corridor outside the small library.

* * *

Robb released his sword from its sheath and Jon copied his movements with _Long Claw _as they both stepped towards the door.

Arya got there first with a slim knife in her hand. She pushed open the door to see a corridor littered with dead servants and half a dozen North soldiers at the end but they weren't wearing the signal of House Stark or any of their allies. No, these men were Boltons.

"How are they in the castle," Arya asked as she advanced down the corridor without the Bolton men having seen her, too busy finishing off the defenceless servants in their path.

Robb answered her, "The Boltons know the Dreadfort better than we ever will. They must know a few hidden entrances. But why risk an attack with such low numbers?"

Jon was about to speak but one of the Bolton men looked behind him to see the advancing trio and alerted his companions.

All six men charged down the corridor. Jon and Robb braced themselves for combat with their swords ready and stepped in front of Arya.

They were about to charge as well when a knife flew straight past them and lodged itself in the front runner's throat. The man stumbled and stilled on the floor. A second Bolton man followed the first and then a third. All had knives where their windpipes should have been.

The remining three Boltons reached Jon and Robb but they easily slashed through them, ending by skewering the last one together.

Robb turned to Arya who was collecting her knives, "When did you learn to do that?"

"The Hound isn't much of a talker and I had to entertain myself somehow when I travelled with him," Arya answered as she scanned the corridor. "We need to move, the Boltons are in the Castle."

Jon and Robb were still in a slight state of shock at how deadly Arya had become but they scurried after her as she bounded down the corridor.

* * *

Robb and his siblings made their way to the main hall without further resistance. They entered through the hall doors to see a small panicked group of wildlings led by Ygritte who raised her bow at them before realising who they were.

"Ygritte?" Jon said calmly as he saw the fear in her eyes and the point of the arrow lower.

Jon had seen Ygritte under pressure on the battlefield, she didn't shake easily. Something was wrong.

"Mance is dead," Ygritte shot out as she eyes the entrance to the hall, "The Bolton's sneaked into his quarters and stabbed him as he slept."

"If Mance is dead who commands the Wildlings?" Robb asked now worried about having twenty thousand uncontrollable Wildlings on his hands.

"There was only Mance," Ygritte puffed out.

_Oh shit,_ the three Starks thought collectively.

But they couldn't prod Ygritte for more information as a Northman hurtled into the room, "Your Grace the Boltons … they are setting fire to the Dreadfort."

"Well put the fires out and quickly," Robb demanded and before following the solider back out the hall he turned to Jon, "Sort the Wildlings, we need then in this fight."

Jon looked at Ygritte, "Can you command them?"

"Perhaps for this battle but they won't have me as their leader beyond that," Ygritte answered truthfully in a low voice so the wildlings behind her wouldn't hear.

"Fine," Jon said as he resisted the urge to give her hand a comforting squeeze. She wouldn't have appreciated it he knew but it still felt like the right thing to do.

Instead he sent her a look, _are you okay?_ Which Ygritte answered with a nod of her head.

"The Boltons are sneaking around this castle. We need to drive them out before they do any more damage to the structures of the Dreadfort and seal any entrances that we find."

Ygritte nodded and turned back to her party of wildlings to issue orders.

"Arya we should-"Jon started before he realised his little sister was no longer in the hall with him.

_Where the hell did she go_, Jon questioned as he started to run back out the hall to find Robb.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RIP
> 
> Doran Martell (crossbow bolt to the heart, shot by Bronn on Tyrion's orders)
> 
> I like Doran's meticulous and overthinking character so to kill him was a decision I didn't take lightly but for the plot in Dorne to move in a direction I want he had to bite the dust :( Since he is mostly a stationary target I thought a cross bolt was a good way for Doran to go.
> 
> Mance Rayder (Stabbed in his bed by Ramsey's men as they snuck into the Dreadfort and surprise attacked Robb's forces)
> 
> Without their leader who brought them together what will the Wildlings do? I think his death is quite the blow to Robb's forces if they survive Ramsey's surprise attack. Robb would have probably died in the surprise attack too if Jon hadn't dragged him out of bed for his meeting on the White Walker problem.


	56. The Battle for Winter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is a head up about military numbers currently in my story in Westeros:
> 
> North (Under Robb) – 20,000 Wildlings & 2,000 Stark loyal Northmen
> 
> North (Under Ramsey) – 4,000 Bolton soldiers & 2,000 Karstark men
> 
> Arryn forces – 20,000 Valesmen & 50 Arryn ships and 20,000 Golden Company mercenaries & 50 mercenary ships
> 
> Dorne – 45,000 Fresh Dornish soldiers
> 
> Tyrell – 40,000 (Under Loras/Mace Tyrell near King's Landing) & 200 ships (Redwyne fleet)
> 
> Lannister – 15,000 (Under Tywin Lannister near King's Landing) & 30 ships docked in Lannisport
> 
> Greyjoy – 20,000 raiders & 100 ships (Iron Fleet)
> 
> Wall – 100 brothers

* * *

_Next morning …_

**Courtyard, The Dreadfort, Two Weeks march from Winterfell**

* * *

"I have made my decision," Robb said tersely as he surveyed his ready Northmen. Their weapons and amour were gleaming in the cold sun's rays.

"But that is exactly what Ramsey wants," Jon said as his brother's face morphed into a grimace when his eyes wandered over the Wildling contingent Ygritte was currently arguing with.

"I know that Jon," Robb said aggressively slapping the stone wall he now leaned against in annoyance, "but if we stay inside the walls of the Dreadfort any longer while Ramsey's men continue to harass us at night the Wildlings will charge out the gates whether I command it or not."

Jon glanced to where Ygritte was having a feisty exchange with a dirty bearded Wildling who Jon presumed was a clan leader. He couldn't tell who was wining the argument between the two Wildlings and that was a bad sign.

"Robb is right," came a familiar voice from on high.

Arya jumped down from the wall she had been crouching on to land in-between her two squabbling brothers, "If the Wildlings are going to attack, which they look like they are going to do regardless of Robb's wishes, it is better that it is under his command than not. At least we will have a chance to incorporate them into a battle strategy than them just running wildly into a wall of spears."

"Exactly," Robb said with a certain amount of satisfaction on his face as he gestured with an open palm toward his little sister in thanks, "Our only advantage is that we outnumber Ramsey about four to one."

"True but he has the better equipped, trained and experienced men, both in terms of archers and cavalry," Jon said as Arya casually strolled up to Robb and leant beside him on the wall, "I can't stress this enough but the Wildlings have no concept of how devastating a cavalry charge is on open ground against unshielded men."

"I know," Robb agreed, "but I have no other option at this point in time. If we stay and hold the Dreadfort the Wildlings will attack and be massacred on their own which will leave us and the rest of my Northmen to be picked off each night by Ramsey's sneak attacks. There is no better option, unless I am missing something?"

Robb looked expectantly at Jon but his brother had no answer for him. Just an apprehensive sigh as he looked around the courtyard.

"As soon as we step onto the battlefield, we will be playing Ramsey's game. He will have a plan," Jon walked beside Robb and leaned on the wall to copy both his siblings, "Do we?"

"I am working on it," Robb said quietly, stealing a glance at the now silent Wildlings that stood around Ygritte, just glaring murderously at her.

* * *

_Sametime …._

**Parlour in the Water Gardens, Sunspear, Seat of power of House Nymeros Martell, Capital of Dorne**

* * *

"Obviously the assassin is a Lannister man," Ellaria stated firmly looking at Oberyn who was gazing out the window, "you said Cersei confirmed as much herself. We need to strike back."

"He won't see another sunset and if Cersei was involved neither will she," Trystane said darkly as Myrcella sat rock still beside him on the cushions opposite Ellaria.

"I will deal with Ser Bronn of Blackwater myself," Oberyn announced turning away from the window and walking to join his lover seated on the plump cushions. "I may not have avenged my sister's death yet but please allow me to avenge my brother's death."

Aware of the strong but complex bond between his father and his uncle Trystane relented in his own anger and nodded.

"And what are we going to do about the Lannisters? About Cersei? This was an act of open war," Ellaria vented, "We need to respond or we will look weak."

"What would you suggest Ellaria?" The normally silent Areo Hotah asked in a deep voice that coated the entire room.

Ellaria looked suspiciously at Areo Hotah before answering, "We could send Cersei's head to her father and march the might of the Dornish armies into the Reach, the Tyrells will quake in their boots."

"Yes, and my grandfather will rejoice at your stupidity," a soft but clear voice rang out.

All eyes moved to Myrcella as if in shock at the cutting words she had spoken.

_Cersei's daughter is almost as surprising as she is,_ Oberyn mused as his fingers smoothed Ellaria's rage at being spoken to in such a manner.

"Myrcella?" Trystane asked with hesitation in his voice. It seemed he had no idea that his wife could be such a lioness.

"My grandfather is the smartest person I know. My Uncle Tyrion is the second. Do you really think they would order the assassination of Doran without considering the possibility that Dorne would respond by attacking the Reach or the Stormlands," Myrcella said in a calm voice.

"What are you saying little lioness?" Oberyn said playfully, getting up from his seated position besides Ellaria and walking towards the new Consort of Dorne until he had to crane his neck to look down at her.

"I am saying that an attack from Dorne on the Reach or the Stormlands will be expected and may have even been the goal of assassinating Prince Doran," seeing the unconvinced expression of Oberyn's face Myrcella pushed onwards, "Prince Doran advocated waiting for Daenerys Targaryen to arrive before attacking. I think my grandfather is trying to provoke an attack from Dorne before you can join forces with Daenerys Targaryen and try to eliminate _us_ as a threat before he has to deal with three dragons."

Oberyn smiled, "Those are your mother's words coming out your mouth."

"Maybe they are," Myrcella admitted, "But it doesn't make them any less true."

"Why should we listen to you and your mother?" Ellaria fumed annoyed that Myrcella was taking over the meeting.

"My grandfather and uncle are the smartest people I know but my mother knows them the best. Knows how they think. Listen to her. She no longer supports the Crown. All she wants is Tommen and I to be safe."

"It makes sense," Trystane said slowly as he mulled over what had been said, "If we attack now before Daenerys Targaryen is ready to cross the Narrow Sea, we are in a weaker position than if we were to wait for her support in the invasion."

"You are going to let the insult of your father's murder go unanswered?" Ellaria all but shouted.

Trystane stood up and walked towards Ellaria, as Oberyn had to Myrcella, to tower above her, "I am going to honour my father's memory and ensure his plans and vision for Dorne are accomplished. We will march when Daenerys Targaryen sails. No sooner," Trystane said with a finality that both Oberyn and Ellaria hadn't heard before from the young leader.

Ellaria took the hint in Trystane's voice and stood from the plush pillows she had draped herself over and half bowed to Trystane, "My Prince," she said before gliding out the room into the strong sunlight.

Oberyn gave a little shrug to Trystane, "I apologize for her … manner she is just very passionate about Dorne."

Oberyn placed a hand on Trystane's shoulder, "Rest assured nephew I will avenge Doran and this Ser Bronn will die screaming."

"See that he does Uncle," Trystane replied coldly.

Oberyn gave a little bow before following Ellaria out of the room.

Myrcella approached Trystane but he took a step away from her, "I need some time to think. Alone."

If Trystane's rejection hurt her Myrcella she did a good job of hiding it as she too bowed and left Trystane to his thinking.

After a few minutes of silence Trystane turned around, "What is it you wanted to show me?"

Areo Hotah walked forward from the shadows he had melted into, "Follow me."

* * *

A few minutes later Trystane found himself deep underneath the Water Gardens.

"I didn't know these tunnels existed," Trystane exclaimed in amazement.

"Doran told me that they were constructed during the reign of Maron Martell and that he was a cautious man, saw the need to install an escape route out of the Water Gardens. This way," Areo Hotah threw over his shoulder at the following Prince.

They came to a door and Areo Hotah unlocked it and shoved it aside with ease. The door opened to reveal a small room with many wooden crates inside.

"You wanted to show me a storage room?" Trystane inquired.

Areo Hotah momentarily ignored him until he set his eyes on a huge box. It was at least six metres long and two metres wide. The large black man removed the top of the crate with his bare hands. The wooden lid fell to the earthy floor with a loud thud.

"No Prince Trystane, your father wanted you to know all of Dorne's secrets and this is the first."

Trystane looked down into the now opened box, he looked back up at Areo Hotah with awe in his eyes.

"Is that what I think it is?"

"It is what it looks like," Areo Hotah simply stated back observing his young charge.

"Where did we get this? How did we get this?" Trystane exclaimed still unable to believe his eyes.

"Your father travelled extensively in Essos when he was younger. That is how I came into his service. We heard tales of Old Valyria and naturally your father wanted to see it for himself. I told him all who sought to set their eyes upon Old Valyria and sail in the Smoking Sea were doomed to share its fate. I presume you have heard of the Doom of Valyria," Trystane nodded, "while we searched for Old Valyria, we came across a sinking ship. We boarded the ship in hope of rescuing the crew but we couldn't find a single soul onboard. It was like they had just vanished while their ship was half sinking into the sea. We found it onboard. Prince Doran suspected what it was and we dragged it onto our ship. After that encounter your father decided to sail straight back to Dorne."

Trystane remained quiet, gazing into the box below him.

"Your father also wanted me to give you this," Areo Hotah said digging into his tunic to produce a rolled-up letter, "It explains everything you need to know. Your father wanted you to continue what he started."

Trystane took the paper from Areo Hotah hand with a slight tremble in his arm.

He broke the seal and started to read.

* * *

_That afternoon …_

**Just outside the walls of the Dreadfort, Two Weeks march from Winterfell**

* * *

"My Lord," a Bolton solider said as he pointed towards the Dreadfort.

"Ah, so the King in the North has come out to play. Finally," Ramsey said with a boyish grin on his pale face as he watched a mixture of Wildlings and armoured Stark banner-men emerge from the now open Dreadfort gates, "Are we ready?"

"Yes, my Lord," a second Bolton man replied.

"Excellent, proceed as planned then."

The first Bolton solider returned to a large group of Bolton men who were readying their bows while the second was mounting a horse at the front of a large group of cavalrymen.

Ramsey looked down upon his prey from the elevated woods his men had been sheltering in to the relatively flat snow-covered area that would be the battlefield before the Dreadfort.

He had envisioned this moment at least a dozen times during the night. He knew the Stark boy had the numbers and could easily overwhelm the smaller Bolton led forces but the routing nature of a cavalry charge to the flank was a terrifying thing, especially for a ramble that had never even seen it in action. And those that didn't flee would be faced with a wall of arrows while his footmen herded the Stark forces to where Ramsey wanted them to be with their long spears.

In theory it was a good plan. A plan that was going to get him a crown on his head.

* * *

"Men," Robb shouted as loud as his lungs would allow while he walked in front of his vanguard, which consisted of an even balance of Wildlings and Northmen. Robb had configured it this way thinking that his battle-hardened men could instruct their wildling counterparts and keep the organisation needed to win battles south of the wall.

"We face a wily enemy, do not mistake their smaller numbers as a guaranteed win. This coming battle will not be easy. Hold your ground, protect and listen to those around you," Robb encouraged.

Jon and Ygritte nodded at Robb from their place amongst the mixed flank part of the host. They had their orders.

_Kill as many as you can. Get to the archers as quickly as you can manage and avoid the inevitable cavalry charges as much as possible._

Robb had no idea where Arya was but knew she would be active on the battlefield. His eyes did find a familiar face in amongst the sea of stranger's faces.

Robb nodded directly at Osha, acknowledging her presence.

"For the North," Robb yelled as he led his vanguard into battle.

* * *

If the gods were watching from above, they would have seen the two hosts clash fiercely just beyond the stretching shadows of the Dreadfort. The white canvas was soon painted red with each swish of a sword and jab of a spear. Men and women's screams floated upwards to the sky and were pierced by the flying arrows that rained down abound the battlefield, littering the muddy snow-covered floor with more bloody bodies, mainly Wildlings.

Robb's larger host seemed to be surging and spilling all around Ramsey's men but a thundering sound of hoofs hitting the ground alerted all those nearby that this scenario was about to change.

Ramsey's horses smashed into Robb's flank, ripping apart a considerable number of Wildlings who did not possess shields. Robb saw how the remaining few dozen shield bearing Northmen that survived the initial stampede were separated and hunted down by the cavalry as they retreated to set up another charge.

Robb shook his head slightly at the loss of life. A necessary sacrifice for what was to come next he hoped.

Robb refocused his thoughts from his flank, knowing that Jon and Ygritte would do all they could to enact his plan, to the onrushing wall of Bolton spearmen in front of him.

* * *

Jon sliced through another Bolton man as he kept his eye on the five hundred or so horsemen that Robb and entrusted him to destroy. They were about to begin another charge. He risked a glance at Ygritte who was shooting arrows so rapidly that Jon swore she was unleashing arrows before her previous ones had even found their marks.

"Focus brother, you can't have her if you are dead," Arya yelled as she sliced through a spearman's throat before standing her ground next to Jon.

Jon nodded before seeing the oncoming wave of horses racing towards them.

"Now," he shouted at the top of his lungs and all the men nearby tried their best to clear a pathway for the horses to ram into. It was partially successful with half of Ramsey's cavalry getting stuck, having ploughed straight through the poorly defended Wildling line and advanced too far into Robb's host so that they were now surrounded by it.

And once horses were no longer able to run the advantage of their speed vanished. Jon smiled as Bolton cavalrymen were being pulled off their steads and being unceremoniously slaughtered on the floor where they fell.

The remaining half of Ramsey's horses cautiously regrouped. Despite the clear damage their previous charges had done to Robb's host no charge was worth losing half the cavalry in.

_Try again,_ urged Jon in his mind, wanting to be rid of the other half.

Arya danced around the battlefield picking off men where she could without getting too involved so she could keep an eye on her brothers and assess who needed her more in the moment. She spied Robb fighting one on one with a particularly angry looking Northman.

* * *

"You killed my father for avenging the deaths of his sons, my brothers. You will pay," Harrion Karstark bellowed as he swung his long sword at Robb who nimbly dodged it's deadly edge.

"Your father disobeyed a direct order. He left me with no choice after he murdered the Lannister children," Robb countered as he swiped at the hairy large brute blocking his path.

Their swords clashed and they both pushed against the other's sword trying to strong-arm the other into submission.

Their tangle was interrupted as a Bolton spearman rushed at Robb, intending to take advantage of his immobile position fighting the downward force of Harrion Karstark's sword.

Robb pushed away from the current Lord of Karhold just before the spear would have hit him but not before Harrion's blade raked across his cheek to his chin.

Robb felt the searing pain explode down his face in a fiery river and saw the blood start to drip from his chin as he steadied himself.

He looked back up, expecting to find Lord Karstark bearing down on him, but instead saw that the spear that had been meant for him was buried in the strong man's stomach and the spearman was in utter shock at what he had done. The solider was trying to pull his spear out but Robb beat him to it by thrusting his sword directly thought the man's back.

Suddenly a barrage of arrows hit all around him and he instinctually kept his sword in the dying man's back and slid to the floor turning the man so his body was between him and the descending arrows.

_We need to kill those fucking archers_, Robb thought tactically.

His own banner-men had shields and most would use them to protect themselves but the Wildings had no protection and each unanswered arrow brought Ramsey a little bit closer to victory.

Robb heard a few thuds above him as his impaled sword held the now dead spearman in place above him. Once he no longer heard the sound of men being shredded to bits Robb rolled out from underneath the dead spearman and pulled his sword free to look at the dead corpse of Harrion Karstark.

The spear was discarded to the dead man's side, he must have been able to pull it free, and there were four arrows sticking out of the Karstark's torso as he lay on his back.

Robb touched a hand to his chin and came away with wet blood on his fingers, the cut was deep he knew from the pain in his jaw but there was no time to stop and inspect his wound as the future of the North was being decided before his very eyes.

He gave one last fleeting look at Harrion Karstark's body before rejoining the throng of battle. He had a new found respect for House Karstark, they were good fighters, but disloyalty was one thing that Robb would never tolerate.

* * *

"Nock," Ramsey shouted as he observed a hundred or two Wildings break past his spear men and attempted to reach his troop of archers.

"Draw," Ramsey unsheathed his sword it was time to enter the battle. His opening tactics had worked enough to deplete Robb's host numbers significantly. All that was left to be done was to fight till one side had run out of men willing to stand their ground.

"Loose," Ramsey instructed with a devilish grin as he watched the rampaging wildlings drop to the floor not more than twenty metres away.

"Keep the arrows flying," Ramsey ordered before he led a few dozen sword wielding Bolton men into the fray to strengthen the line of spearmen who were still doing a good job of containing most of Robb's forces to the centre of the battlefield.

Ramsey paused his advance when he saw a familiar face in amongst the dead and dying Wildings his archers had just mowed down.

"You," Ramsey said in delighted surprise as he looked down at the dying Wildling woman. She had an arrow imbedded in her leg and two in her chest area.

"Tell me, did Locke fuck you before you killed him?" Ramsey asked with a salacious smile on his face, putting a hand on each of his knees and bending down slightly.

Osha spat out blood instead of answering knowing fully well the man standing over her couldn't hurt her anymore. He had already killed her.

"No don't tell me, I like to guess" Ramey toyed as he looked Osha up and down, "Oh you killed him while he was inside you, didn't you?"

Osha's eyes flashed with rage but there was some annoyance mingled in there too.

"Haha I am right, aren't I. If anything was going to kill Locke it was going to be his cock," Ramsey sniggered as he shook his head in boyish delight and carried on with his advance, leaving Osha to her fate.

* * *

"If we are going to win this battle, we need to take out the archers," Robb shouted.

"We can't get past the spearmen," Jon emphasised, parrying a sword blow meant for his legs.

"We might not have to," Arya hissed as she drove a knife into the back of the neck of the man attacking Jon.

Robb surveyed the battlefield and saw what his sister had seen. Ramsey Bolton was leaving the relative safety of his archers and was reinforcing his spearmen.

Maybe to end this battle all that was needed was for one of the leaders to fall, and Robb in that moment was determined that it would be Ramsey Bolton that would feel the Stranger's embrace, not him.

"We need to go for Ramsey," Robb declared.

"We can make a concentrated push," Jon suggested.

"Let's end this," Arya agreed.

All three Starks nodded.

* * *

Robb looked around him, the battle had yet to reach a tipping point with enough Wildlings dying to a rebel Northman's hand to make it unclear who was winning and who was losing.

Robb hoped his next manoeuvre would change this.

He started to sprint and it felt like the winds of winter carried him forward as his army followed in his footsteps. He and his rushing contingent of Northmen and Wildlings pushed into the line of spears that fought to block them off.

A few minutes later of intense fighting and Robb's forces had managed to wear down the line of spearmen enough so that they punctured through Ramsey's barrier of spears allowing his army to spill forward.

Finally, Robb could see a pathway to the lunatic that had caused so much chaos in the North.

He took that path.

"King in the North," Ramsey greeted sarcastically with a little bow as men clashed around them.

"Bastard," Robb jabbed sizing Ramsey up with his eyes as he stalked towards the man vying for his crown.

The famed Bolton bastard was a short man with a wiry build but Robb knew size didn't always correlate with deadliness as his little sister could attest.

"You were a fool to turn on your father and betray your oath to Winterfell," Robb rebuked as he stepped towards Ramsey with his sword ready.

"Maybe, but I wasn't destined to have a quiet life waiting for my father to die just so I could kneel to some pretentious Lord who thinks he owns me," Ramsey threw back as he started to circle Robb, "Just not in my nature."

They ran at each other and their deadly dance began. Ramsey was the aggressor slashing and thrusting while Robb parried and dodged, waiting patiently for an opening.

After a minute of rapid movement Robb suspected waiting for an opening wasn't an option. Ramsey was a skilled swordsman and despite his aggressive style wasn't overreaching himself.

_Dammit,_ Robb thought as he rolled to one side, he hadn't been expecting Ramsey to be such a tough challenge.

Ramsey closed the space between them again and his sword tangled with Robb's as both tried to land blows on the other.

"Maybe I can complete that red smile on your face for you," Ramsey baited as he drew back his sword for another strike.

Robb's focus went to his injured chin for but a moment but that lapse of concentration cost him.

Ramsey's strike pushed him backwards onto his heels and allowed the bastard to charge forward and knock him onto his back. Ramsey discarded his sword quickly in favour of a more manoeuvrable small knife and brought it down towards Robb's throat.

Robb also dropped his sword and blocked the movement by gripping Ramsey's wrists and pushing away with all his strength.

The knife was held at a steady point in-between the two men who were locked in a struggle on the muddy and bloody ground.

The joyous madness in Ramsey's eyes was on full show for Robb to see.

_He is enjoying every bit of this chaos_, Robb realised as he could feel the strength in his arms start to falter.

Suddenly the pressure was released and Ramsey's limp body fell to his side, as well as the knife that had been threatening Robb's life.

Robb stared up in gratitude as Jon's open hand filled his vision.

"Thank you, brother," Robb said sincerely as he was pulled up, back onto his feet and reclaimed his sword.

Both Starks looked down at the now unconscious Bolton Bastard.

"What do you want to do with him now?"

"I will execute him once this battle is finished," Robb said firmly.

"That might be soon," Jon assented looking beyond Robb's shoulder.

Robb turned and what he saw caused a turmoil of emotion to swirl around his head.

_She came._

Arryn cavalry were ploughing through the line of Bolton archers. The unmounted Bolton men had no chance of survival as the falcon bearing horsemen systematically rode them down.

Without the support of the archers the rest of Ramsey's army would crumble. Indeed, as soon as word of Ramsey's capture filtered through his host there were more men fleeing than fighting.

After a few more minutes the Arryn cavalry were joined by the full might of the rest of Kenna's army that emerged from the very forest Ramsey had been hiding in and any rebel Northman left on the battlefield threw down their arms.

Robb clapped Jon on his back in celebration and roared in delight with the rest of his men as they started to round up the surrendered men.

They had done it. Ramsey was defeated and Winterfell was theirs for the taking.

Robb and Jon both looked up towards the edge of the forest and the slope where the majority of the Arryn host was ambling down, the Arryn cavalry were mopping up the routing archers and the remaining Bolton cavalry. It was a fearsome sight if you were going up against them. There seemed to be endless rows of armored knights, spearmen, archers, and cavalry streaming from the forest.

But Robb's attention wasn't on the might of the army but the two Ladies who appeared to be leading it.

"Is that Sansa?" Arya asked in disbelieve as she joined her brothers to look upon the marching army.

"Yes, it is," Jon said squinting his eyes as the red hair of their sister flowed in the wind against the contrast of her white horse.

"And _Lady Lannister_," Robb added as his eyes were caught by the dark brown hair of the Queen over the Mountains that seemed to merge with the black mane of her mount and the round belly she carried.

* * *

Robb couldn't explain the feeling that came over him as the Arryn army marched ever closer bringing his sister and former confidant with them. It was like he was in the midst of battle again and he had to let out that urge to explode and savage everyone near him. He had to show what he was capable of, that he was no longer a green boy but a battle harden man, a King."

"Bring me Ramsey," Robb demanded.

"You want to execute him now?" Jon enquired, "You just spared him a death on the battlefield a few minutes ago."

"There is no point in keeping him alive. Bring him to me," Robb ordered more forcefully, feeling her eyes on him.

Jon nodded slowly but did what his King commanded.

No more than a minute later Ramsey was pushed before Robb so he landed on his knees. Ramsey still had a small smirk on his face which Robb suspected he had been born with as he had never seen it leave the man's face.

"Ramsey Bolton, you are a kinslayer and a traitor. You murdered your father and sought the North for yourself. I Robb Stark, King in the North sentence you to die for the people of the North who you have terrorised, for Maester Luwin," Robb declared missing the wince in his sister as he said the former teachers name out loud, "and my Uncle Edmure, and for the murder of a defenceless child, my brother Rickon."

Ramsey just smiled waiting for the cold touch of Robb's blade, like his only purpose had been to sow and spread chaos.

It was eyrie how easily the kneeling man accepted death and how he kept his predatory eyes on Robb's.

Robb signaled to the guards standing behind Ramsey and they forced Ramsey's down and exposed his neck to the cold air of the North.

The King in the North moved with efficiency as he brought down his sword to chop off Ramsey's head in one fluid motion.

After the deed had been done Robb immediately looked up to see that both Sansa and Kenna had seen what he had done and sat stationary on their mounts, with Lord Royce and Jaime Lannister flanking them.

Sansa's eyes held warmth and relief at seeing her siblings again. She didn't seem to mind much that a man had just died before her eyes.

Kenna's eyes shone with interest at the demonstration she had just witnessed. Who had it been for? Her or Robb's men?

"King Robb," she greeted from her elevated position, hiding her emotions and thoughts completely behind a mask of politeness as if they weren't meeting on a battlefield but rather a feast hall.

"Queen Kenna," Robb replied courteously while cleaning off the blood on his sword and noting how Kenna's eyes went to the wound on his chin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RIP
> 
> Osha (Felled by those pesky Bolton archers as she tried to charge at Ramsey)
> 
> You survived Locke but unfortunately no matter how much I like you; you can't survive a barrage of arrows straight to the torso, especially if you are running straight at the archers. It just isn't done :(
> 
> Harrion Karstark (Killed by a Bolton spear to the torso and then a couple of arrows to the chest area for good measure – basically friendly fire)
> 
> Sucks to be him. He had Robb on the ropes then one of his own men spears him through the stomach trying to help LOL …then Ramsey's archers finish him off!
> 
> Ramsey Bolton (Executed by Robb in the aftermath of the Battle at the Dreadfort – coined 'Battle for Winter')
> 
> What to say? He deserved his death and it has been a long time coming but I decided to go with the traditional head chopping North justice that Eddard Stark would have approved of even if Robb gave it a slightly more edgy tension due to who was watching him dispense his justice ;)
> 
> I know people will have wanted a spectacular death for Ramsey (like the show did) but with Robb still around I think he would have gone with the more traditional way of dispatching enemies, like his father. Robb isn't Kenna, spectacular deaths are kind of her thing ;P


	57. Kings and Queens

* * *

_Next day …._

**Courtyard in Water Gardens, Sunspear, Seat of power of House Nymeros Martell, Capital of Dorne**

* * *

Oberyn twirled the spear in his hand around playfully in front of the watching crowd. The gathered Dornish nobility had created a circle around him and his opponent.

Trystane, Myrcella, Cersei, and Ellaria sat on an elevated platform above the buzzing nobles. All four had pensive faces. All four had argued against Oberyn's idea of justice. It was too elaborate, too whimsical, too indulgent but then that was Oberyn and that was why he was so beloved.

"Confess who helped you infiltrate the Water Gardens and who you killed my brother for and I will go easy on you," Oberyn purred as he forced a smile at the crowd.

"I'd rather have a good scrap," Bronn replied rubbing dirt of his face.

"You will regret that decision," Oberyn growled as he stalked towards Bronn.

Bronn just shrugged before raising his sword.

Oberyn thrust his spear forward to test Bronn's defence. The sword wielding man stepped back out of range and kept his eyes focused.

_Good footwork_, Oberyn noted as he swiped at Bronn to find his parrying skills were equally as good.

Oberyn launched into a flurry of rapid strikes with his spear and to most watching it was more like a dance than it was traditional fighting. Oberyn advancing, Bronn blocking, dodging or rolling.

Oberyn managed to nick Bronn's cheek but apart from that the viper wasn't having any real success. Bronn wasn't starting any serious attack of his own, he was content to simply frustrate Oberyn and it was working.

"Confess," bellowed Oberyn after another strike failed to hit the target.

Bronn didn't reply concentrating on staying out of the long range of the Prince's spear.

Oberyn could feel the watchful eyes of the crowd on him and normally he enjoyed such attention but right now all he wanted was for the man before him to confess that the Lannister's had killed Doran, and who the traitor was that gave him the information to know where Doran would be and helped him slip into the Water Gardens.

"You are a tough man to kill," Oberyn inhaled deeply, acknowledging that Ser Bronn of the Blackwater was a skilled opponent, before grinning wildly, "I think I would have liked to fuck your wife."

"That is my line," Bronn half chuckled, tightening his grip on his sword.

"Confess," Oberyn tried again as he exhaled a deep breath, calming himself down as he watched Bronn step closer.

Oberyn swung his spear and Bronn, anticipating Oberyn's action, rolled below its deadly edge and lunged at the stationary Prince with his sword.

Oberyn let go of his spear and sidestepped the point of the sword. As Bronn started to readjust to where Oberyn had glided to he found the Prince's elbow in his face. He saw the sky for a brief moment before he felt excruciating pain in his shoulder then a popping sound.

Oberyn roared in delight as the arm lock he had Bronn in forced the man to drop his sword to join his spear on the floor. In the next instant Oberyn threw Bronn to the floor over his shoulder by his arm.

Bronn landed hard on the floor with a loud grunt. Once he had righted himself, he scrambled to grab his sword but Oberyn kicked it away then picked up his spear.

Bronn stayed on the ground, panting hard and cradling his useless arm. The crowd let go of the collective breath they had been holding.

"Dislocated?" Oberyn asked, his playfulness returning as the danger of the situation faded.

"Tyrion Lannister ordered me to kill Prince Doran," Bronn confessed from his sitting position, "He is still a bit upset that you killed his whore."

"I know that. You are his man apparently," Oberyn said glancing at Cersei.

"Now who helped you gain entry to the Water Gardens?" Oberyn asked returning his attention to the downed man.

"I don't know. Tyrion was smart he never told me who, just where I was to be and when. The crossbow was there when I reached the tower. Tyrion told me where I could obtain the yellow garbs of a Dornish guard and when to walk through the gates to the Water Gardens. It was all arranged for me to stroll in and …."

"Murder my brother," Oberyn roared as he advanced on Bronn with his spear gleaming in the sunlight.

"Tyrion said the conspirator was an _agent of chaos_," Bronn said as the spear point nestled itself on the skin of his neck.

"That is all I know. Now kill me," Bronn asked without a hint of fear in his voice. The life of a sell sword was always destined to be ended by another's blade. He just wanted a clean death.

"I killed you two minutes ago," Oberyn snarled as he lifted his spear to reveal a thin red line where it has rested on Bronn's neck.

Bronn looked confused for a moment before he reached for his cheek.

_Poison._

"Of course," Bronn muttered.

"Your death won't be quick or painless. The Manticore venom will work its way through your body and when it reaches your heart you will feel like you have been set on fire from the inside," Oberyn said as he picked up Bronn's sword and made his way through the crowd.

Bronn watched, behind defeated eyes as Oberyn returned to his paramour. He felt two strong arms grab him and start to drag him away to gods know where. He couldn't stop the scream of pain that came out his mouth as one guard's hand pressured his dislocated shoulder.

"What are you going to do with him?" Myrcella asked beside a still Trystane, having been totally silent for the entire fight.

Oberyn broke from a passionate kiss with Ellaria, "He will rot in our dungeons until the Manticore venom takes him or he dies of thirst, whatever gets him first."

Myrcella nodded slightly, still new to the gruesome reality of ruling. She felt a warm hand encase her own. She turned to see soft green eyes looking back at her.

Her mother squeezed her hand gently in understanding. The world of ruling had a steep learning curve for those attempting to master it and Cersei intended to be there for her daughter every step of the way.

* * *

_A week later …_

**Outside the gates of Winterfell, Seat of power of House Stark in the North, Capital of the Kingdom of the North**

* * *

Kenna fiddled with the reins of her horse nervously.

"Artys will be fine," Lord Royce reassured his Queen.

Both were staring intently at the closed gates of Winterfell as what was left of Robb's host advanced on Winterfell with the Arryn forces in tow.

"I would have felt better if you were down there with him," Kenna puffed out into the cold wintery air.

"My place is by your side. Lord Grafton will keep him safe," Lord Royce said firmly.

Kenna forced herself to remain still. She was surrounded by a hundred Knights of the Vale and Artys was in the middle of one of the largest armies the North had ever seen but she worried. She would always worry for those she loved, so many had been taken from her. Her hand moved over her enormous belly. She was close she knew to giving birth but against Qyburn's advice she had wanted to see the moment when Winterfell was returned to Stark hands just as she had witnessed Sansa's return to her family.

It had been a touching moment.

Sansa had dismounted from her white horse after the Battle at the Dreadfort and rushed over to where her three siblings had stood in such a hurry she had practically jumped over Ramsey's decapitated body and grabbed all three into an enormous hug.

It was the first time in a long time that four Starks had all been in the same place. The wolf pack was growing and returning home it seemed.

Kenna smiled at the memory as she watched the North and Arryn led hosts charge towards the scarcely defended Winterfell walls.

Sansa, she knew, was behind her somewhere amongst the Falcon banners but her thoughts drifted to the King in the North.

Since her timely arrival at the Dreadfort, they had not spent a lot of time together. It had been quickly decided on the battlefield that Winterfell was the next destination and there was no time to waste. Robb hadn't tried to engage her in conversation, he simply stole glances here and there. But Kenna knew where his eyes lingered. Her hand once again rested on her tummy.

_Does he think I am a traitor, untrustworthy because I carry a Lannister babe?_ Kenna questioned internally.

She wasn't relishing the future conversations she would have with the King in the North but she knew they were essential to the survival of their independent Kingdoms.

Kenna exhaled deeply, seeing her breath create a small cloud in front of her face. Once the cloud had dispersed, she saw that the gates of Winterfell had been opened in the face of the combined charging forces of the Vale and the North.

She kicked her horse on so that it slowly rumbled towards the now open gates of Winterfell.

* * *

_A few hours later …_

**Great Hall of Winterfell, Seat of power of House Stark, Capital of the Northern Kingdom**

* * *

Robb lifted the sword from Arty's shoulder as he surveyed those standing behind the kneeling Arryn heir, accidentally crossing eyes with Kenna who was sat comfortably in a large wooden chair. The cut on his face started to itch under her gaze and he quickly refocused his attention to the young man before him.

"Arise Ser Artys Arryn, Knight of the Seven Kingdoms," Robb declared to the gathered soldiers who filled the Great Hall of Winterfell, "You fought admirably at the Dreadfort and you commanded your men well today."

"Thank you, your Grace," Artys bowed and with a beaming smile placed on his lips he returned to Kenna's side.

Kenna gave her nephew a proud grin as he settled slightly behind her.

Alyssa would have been so happy, Kenna thought, refusing to dwell on the fact her sister wasn't here and focus on what she would have felt.

Artys, under Lord Royce and Lord Grafton, had adapted extremely well to the ways of high nobility. He deserved the honour of being knighted by the King in the North.

Despite picking up a sword later than most noble boys he was a natural and could give competition to many Vale Knights. The boy had inherited Alyssa's childlike fearlessness and Euron's manic way of fighting, which didn't always gain the approval of his opponent or Lord Royce but he would learn the way of honour eventually Kenna was sure.

Kenna signalled to Lord Royce with a raised hand as Arty's and Lord Grafton hovered by her shoulders.

It was time to get King Robb's attention.

* * *

Sansa and Jon who sat by Robb's empty chair watched Lord Royce's movements with interest as the old Lord disappeared from the Hall.

"What was Queen Kenna like in King's Landing?" Arya whispered to Sansa as Robb launched into a speech commemorating those that had fallen in reclaiming the North, walking table to table as he acknowledged those that had died for his crown, for North independence.

"We protected each other," Sansa muttered back, ringing her hands at the memory of stabbing Ser Ilyn Payne and the countless times Kenna had managed to distract Joffrey's punishing touch.

"Did she really kill Littlefinger and Aunt Lysa with her own hands?" Arya asked, interest shining in her eyes.

Sansa rolled her eyes,_ Of course, you ask about that._

"Yes, she did, after my testimony at Littlefinger's and our Aunt's trial," Sansa stated behind a goblet of wine as she observed the pained look on Kenna's face as Robb toasted to Greatjon Umber's death.

Arya leaned back in her chair appraising the heavily pregnant women who sat across the room, "So the _Bloody Falcon_ of father's stories still exists."

Sansa could tell Arya admired Kenna. _Visenya Targaryen you have competition for my sister's heart it seems_, Sansa joked.

"Is she a threat to Robb?" Arya asked suddenly, her newfound respect for the Queen over the Mountains turning into suspicion and concern for her brother.

"I …." Sansa desperately wanted to say no but after the alliance between the Crown and the Vale had been announced every action Kenna had ever taken seemed to be a bit more questionable, a bit more coated in manipulation and darkness.

"I think she isn't an enemy," Sansa answered truthfully.

"But not an ally," Arya tapped her fingers on the arm of her chair as she continued to observe Kenna talking to the new knighted Ser Artys, they were near the same age but Artys Arryn would tower over her petite frame.

"The Vale and Crown are in an official alliance, Queen Kenna is about to have the child of the very person who threw our brother off a tower," at Arya's surprised look Sansa elaborated, "Yes Robb told me. He said Jaime Lannister confessed the truth to our mother before the Red Weddings."

Arya narrowed her eyes like a hawk would before swooping down on its prey, "I hear Jaime Lannister is here."

"He isn't in this hall but he is in Winterfell," Sansa confirmed sipping from her cup, "I would advise against killing him until we know where we stand with Queen Kenna."

If Arya was shocked to be discussing murder with her sweet sister, she didn't let it distract her, "She is married into the very House responsible for Father and Mother's deaths, how can we trust her?"

"I was once a Lannister too," Sansa quietly reminded her sister, "We owe her a chance. She freed me from King's Landing and she came to the North to help Robb."

"Probably not the only reason she is here," Arya speculated.

"Probably not," Sansa agreed before tilting her head down for a moment as if deciding to reveal a piece of information or not, "She was an ally and friend to me in King's Landing and she may yet be an ally to the North now, but she is dangerous."

Arya noted the seriousness in her gentle sister's words as the red head continued, "She trapped and executed Littlefinger and Lysa. She took King's Landing from the Lannisters while she was their prisoner. She claimed Stannis as her King but when he turned on her she was _ready_ for it. She leaves dead bodies in her wake."

"So, do I," Arya puffed out before adding in a fool hearty voice, "And if you think a table of skulls scares me you are wrong."

Sansa sighed at Arya's brave façade; she had always been the most courageous of the Stark children.

"I really missed you," Sansa said softly as she noticed Lord Royce return to the Hall with two long bundles of cloth.

"I missed you too," Arya replied flicking her eyes between Robb who had just returned to his seat and Lord Royce who was making his way to Kenna.

* * *

Robb saw Lord Royce bend his head towards Kenna then after a few seconds straighten up and look directly at him.

"King Robb, please allow me to present you a gift from Queen Kenna, First of her Name and Queen of the Mountain and the Vale," Lord Royce's voice boomed around the hall as he discreetly missed off Kenna's married last name from her titles.

Robb looked to the two long bundles of cloth in the Lord's hands then to Kenna. She was watching him intensely.

"You may approach Lord Royce," Robb said, his interest was piqued.

Lord Royce strode towards Robb stopping a metre away then placing each bundle on the stone floor at Robb's feet.

The old Lord bent into a crouching position and started to unravel each bundle of cloth to reveal two shining swords before straightening.

The pommels of each caught Robb's eye. Both were decorated in glistening golden lions.

_She presents Lannister swords to me_? Robb thought perplexed as he shot Lord Royce a confused look.

But it wasn't the Vale lord that answered him.

"Do you not recognize your father's sword?"

All eyes in the hall swiveled to where Kenna sat.

"_Ice_ was melted down and forged into two new blades," Kenna explained to the sea of wide eyes, "The one by your right foot, your Grace, is the late King Joffrey's sword, I think he called it _Widow's Wail_, and the other one gathered dust on the hilt of my husband's belt and is unnamed. Allow me the honour of returning them to the North and their rightful owner."

Robb moved to crouch by the two swords rubbing a hand down the shining Valyrian metal of _Widow's Wail_.

"Ice," Robb muttered as his mind remembered all the times he had seen his Father swing his great sword. Now it was in two pieces but it was still the same metal, it was still his father's sword that lay before him.

Emotion clouded his words but Robb managed to force them out his mouth all the same, "Queen Kenna I cannot thank you enough for returning my father's sword to me. I thought we had lost it forever to the _Lannister's_ clutches."

Robb's eyes darkened slightly as he retook to his seat, "Forgive me but won't your husband miss his sword?"

"You can't miss what you don't use. A one-handed man has no need for a sword. Especially when his wife commands a host forty-thousand strong," Kenna replied calmly in the face of Robb's public jape.

Robb took the hint with a slight nod, "I thank you again for returning my father's sword to me and for your help in defeating the rebel Bolton forces at the Dreadfort. There is much work to be done if we are to recover from the Bolton Bastard's reign of terror and restore the North but for now, we celebrate our victory."

The whole hall erupted into shouts of joy as men started to fill their cups and pleasant music could be heard above the din of the shouting North and Vale men.

Robb didn't miss how Kenna crept out the room with Artys guiding her or how Lord Royce gave him an icy stare as he backed away from the line of Starks to melt into the now mingling Arryn and North men.

Robb let out a tortured breath that was not missed by his siblings.

"You will have to have a proper discussion with her at some point," Jon's even voice came from his left shoulder.

"And when you do maybe inquire what her plans are for her forty-thousand strong army," Arya said.

"Arya she won't take the North for herself," Sansa said with a disapproving tone, knowing where her sister's head had gone.

"Obviously," Arya replied, "But the point is she could if she wanted to."

"I will talk to Queen Kenna and find out where she stands on the future," Robb said definitively before rising from his chair, not wanting to be in the middle of his siblings on this topic or show that he feared the Queen over the Mountains might not stand with them.

His sibling's eyes followed his back as he walked from the Hall, occasionally stopping to celebrate with his men but ultimately, he found the exit and slipped from the hall as Kenna had done.

* * *

_Half an hour later .._

* * *

Kenna sat heavily down into the wooden chair facing the roaring fire. She was exhausted. Travelling with an army whether it was on horseback or in a carriage was a tiring experience for a woman carrying a near nine-month-old babe inside her. The past few weeks had been testing.

She brushed her fingers over her face and massaged her temples as the heat of the fire started to soak into her.

"Stop frowning," she demanded in a fatigued voice with her eyes closed as she sensed the other shadow in the room.

"How did you know I was frowning?" Qyburn asked emerging from the shadows.

"It was audible," Kenna sighed, resting the back of her head on the chair.

"You shouldn't overexert yourself my Queen. Especially when you could give birth at any moment," Qyburn said as he walked forward to kneel in between Kenna and the fire.

Kenna instantly missed the heat radiating from the fire but she was too tired to protest as Qyburn's hand gripped around her wrist and his eyes looked her from top to bottom.

"What are you doing?" Kenna asked stifling a yawn.

"Your pulse is steady but your skin appears a bit clammy," Qyburn reported with slight worry in his tone.

"Well carrying around all this extra weight," Kenna looked to her stomach, "works up quite the sweat."

"As your Grand Maester, I really urge you to stay confined to a bed until you have given birth," Kenna shot him a suffering look, "A pregnant woman's health is extremely delicate," Qyburn stressed.

"Fine," Kenna said and rose from the chair with Qyburn helping her at her arm.

They made their way to the door only for it to open before them to reveal Lord Royce and King Robb.

"King Robb wishes to speak to you," Lord Royce said without emotion initially but his face softened as he saw Qyburn's guiding hand on Kenna's arm.

Kenna and Qyburn exchanged looks.

_Don't you dare,_ Qyburn thought.

"King Robb please come in," Kenna said with a small cheeky smile gracing her face as she separated her arm from Qyburn.

_Sorry Qyburn but this is a conversation that is most overdue,_ Kenna replied to Qyburn's look of warning.

King Robb entered the room and passed by Kenna to stand in front of the fire and warm his hands.

"I will be fine Qyburn," Kenna reassured, "and if I am not you will be in the next room with Lord Royce."

"Very well, your Grace," Qyburn grumbled, making it known how he truly felt.

Kenna watched the door close behind the Grand Maester of the Vale before she turned around.

Robb still had his back to her, focusing on the flames of the fire. He looked a bit ominous as his shadow filled the room.

Kenna walked slowly to the table behind the chair she had just been sitting at and tapped the solid oak surface a few times as she continued to walk the length of it in a steady pace.

Robb turned around at the elongated sequence of silence to see Kenna's hand gliding along the table until she reached the head chair of the table. She stood behind the chair with her hands resting on top of the frame, as if using it for support or to hide her baby bump.

"We need to talk," Robb said as he approached the table, brushing a hand through his thick red brown hair.

"Talk then," Kenna said not quite removing the annoyance in her voice before it escaped her mouth.

It wasn't her who had been avoiding the other.

Robb swallowed before placing one hand flat on the table, "I am sorry for the loss of your sister."

Kenna hesitated; she hadn't been expecting Robb's condolences to be the first thing discussed but knowing Robb as she did it shouldn't have been a surprise that his first thoughts would be kindhearted.

"Thank you," Kenna said as the warmth returned to her voice, "and you have my condolences for your brother's death."

Robb nodded his thanks, "What happened to the Blackfish?"

"He fell to Ser Loras Tyrell's blade, defending the Eyrie."

"Maybe if I had been there he would not have."

Kenna not wanting to give breath to that old argument between them pivoted the conversation, "What happened to Lord Umber and Lord Edmure?"

"My Uncle and his family were flayed alive by the Bolton Bastard after he took Winterfell and Lord Umber died bravely in battle at Castle Black."

Kenna let a chuckle escape her mouth, no longer feeling as tired as she once did, "I think Greatjon Umber would have liked that."

"He did," Robb confirmed, "His last words were to urge me to kill the fucker who killed him."

Kenna let out a full-blown laugh. It felt good and even brought a smile to Robb's face.

"I take it you did?"

"What," Robb asked distracted by how joyous her laugh had been to his ears.

"Did you kill the fucker who killed Greatjon Umber?"

"Of course," Robb replied remembering the ginger wildling that he had killed in retribution.

"Good," Kenna said as she seated herself in the chair she had been practically holding herself up on, "I am glad you found Arya as well."

"Ha, more like she found me," Robb said with amusement, "Thank you for releasing Sansa from King's Landing too. I fear if she had spent any more time in the capital there would have been no trace of my Sansa left."

"King's Landing does have that ability to completely remake a person," Kenna agreed before she realised what she had alluded to and immediately switched to subject of conversation, "It is nice to see you again. The last time we were together I didn't think I would."

Robb's face darkened at Kenna's words and the purple bruising surrounding his cut seemed more pronounced on his face. Kenna briefly wondered how much pain he was in. It was a considerable cut and would leave scaring she was sure, it went from his lower cheek to wrap around his chin, not quite reaching his neck.

"Neither did I but here we are," Robb said with an edge coating his words as he seated himself opposite her and shot her an intense look.

Whether it was of rage or aguish Kenna couldn't decipher.

"What is wrong?" Kenna asked, feeling uncomfortable having to endure such a gaze from someone she considered an old friend.

"Do you know where we were two years ago to this day?"

"No," Kenna answered honestly.

"We were at the Twins, probably sitting down like we are now, celebrating like we are now until Walder Frey turned on me and killed my wife, unborn child and my mother."

"Turned on _us_," Kenna corrected as the image of Jasper Egen getting impaled from behind haunted her. For a second she could feel the icy cold of the Trident swirl around her.

"Are you going to turn on me?" Robb asked directly, his knuckles as white as the snow that surrounded Winterfell.

Kenna blinked slowly. _He thinks I am capable of betraying him after everything we have been though?_

"If you are, now is the time to do it. My men are no match for your army and I still have loved ones left to lose."

Kenna felt near unbearable pain fester in her stomach as she forced herself out of her chair.

"I am not Walder Frey. That day in Riverrun I pledged to fight alongside you to avenge Eddard Stark, a man I called brother. My feelings have not changed, only my situation."

"I am the only one left from that meeting that is alive and whose loyalties do not belong to you," Robb said implying she could simply forget about her pledge, "You are going to give _Jaime_ Lannister a child. You are a Lannister."

Kenna slammed her hands down on the table, "I am not a Lannister."

Excruciating pain started to blossom throughout her body and she closed her eyes to help control the pain. When she opened them Robb was by her side with a strong hand on her arm steadying her.

"Please do not turn a small crack into a great divide," Kenna pleaded down at the table as she fought to slow her breaths.

"Tell me why you are here then and don't tell me it was to end the civil war. If that was it you would be marching your army back to the Eyrie by now."

"Daenerys Targaryen," Kenna grunted out as another wave of pain racked her body.

The only thing keeping her standing was Robb's arms.

"Lord Royce," Robb shouted as he held Kenna up.

Lord Royce immediately burst into the room followed quickly by Qyburn who's beady eyes assessed the situation instantly.

"She is giving birth," Qyburn yelped equally in excitement and in worry, "We need to get her to her chambers."

Lord Royce scooped Kenna up from Robb's arms and rushed to the door with Qyburn by his side.

"Her chambers are too far away," Robb declared as he ran to catch up with the large Lord and odd chainless Maester, "follow me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RIP
> 
> Ser Bronn of the Blackwater (Cut by Oberyn in their one-on-one combat fight with a poisoned spear that was coated in the Manticore Venom)
> 
> Oh Bronn, I am afraid you don't survive in my story. Let's be honest he would have made a shit Lord of the Reach. He was one of the best (human) killers in G.O.T I think and that is why Tyrion sent him to kill Doran but he wasn't going to get away with it. I thought a trial by combat situation was a nice way to kill Bronn off (even if he didn't actually die in the arena) as I think it is something Oberyn would have done as well and Bronn's first big moment in G.O.T was in a trial by combat so it felt appropriate.


	58. Roar and Soar

* * *

_A few hours later …_

**The Lord of Winterfell's Chambers, Seat of power of House Stark, Capital of the Northern Kingdom**

* * *

"Push," Qyburn's voice could be heard through the door.

Lord Royce paced tensely back and forth at the closed door that led to the former Lord of Winterfell's chambers.

"You pacing will not make a blind bit of difference and it is making me nervous so sit your arse down," Lord Grafton beckoned to his old friend from the small table he sat at.

"Well it makes me feel better," Lord Royce replied, his eyes full of worry, but he relented and sat next to his friend.

Robb watched from his position at the window as the two old Lords bickered as only good friends could, wondering why he too felt so apprehensive.

The door leading to the corridor swung back to reveal Jon who took a few steps into the room, "How long has she been in labour?"

"Too bloody long," Lord Grafton snapped joining Lord Royce in a state of extreme agitation.

Jon joined Robb at the window and enjoyed the cool air flowing from it.

"Is Sansa in there?" Jon pointed towards the door keeping the screams at bay.

"She insisted," Robb shrugged.

"It seems Kenna was a friend to Sansa in King's Landing," Jon paused to look out into the blackness of the night, "I know now is not the best time but I want to request that I take a small party beyond the Wall with me so I can bring back evidence that the White Walkers exist."

Robb was about to reply when a particularly loud scream cut through the air, "I will allow it Jon, just pick your men and I will give you leave," Jon gave him a surprised look, "I promised you I would give you the opportunity to go prove your word, so go."

"Thank you, brother," Jon replied gratefully before disappearing through the door he had come through.

Just as the door slammed shut to signal Jon's exit the door to Robb's parents' chambers swung open.

"She gave birth to twins," Sansa said excitedly.

Before the door swung closed Robb got a good look at the blood-soaked bed and two wriggling babies, one held by an exhausted looking but very much conscious Kenna and one by the odd-looking man.

_Two Lannisters born at Winterfell,_ Robb mused over in his head, _who would have thought._

* * *

A week later …

**Outer Walls of King's Landing, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Tywin strode into the sun filled courtyard, flanked by his personal guards to see his horse and squire were ready for him. He momentarily slowed as he saw that his horse and squire weren't the only ones waiting for his arrival.

"Tyrion," he greeted as his son dismissed the squire.

"Have you heard the news?"

"You are going to have to be more specific," Tywin said as he walked past Tyrion to check his horse's saddle.

"Ah you haven't heard then," Tyrion said, "I guess you have been busy preparing the Lannister army."

Tywin gave Tyrion a warning look, "I don't have time for your games Tyrion."

Tyrion sensing the fraying of his father's patience parted his newly acquired knowledge, "Robb Stark defeated the Bolton rebel forces at the Dreadfort, executing Ramsey Bolton in the process and reclaimed Winterfell with Queen Kenna's support."

"As we predicted," Tywin's eyes scrutinized Tyrion's grinning face, "There is more news?"

"Kenna gave birth to twins at Winterfell, not surprising considering their parentage," Tyrion muttered, "You finally got the heirs you wanted."

Tywin pulled himself onto his horse, not letting Tyrion see how relived he was, "What of Dorne?"

Tyrion almost laughed at the obvious refusal to discuss the Queen over the Mountain or her progress in the North, "No movement at the border. It looks like our plan failed. Oberyn's fury is being held back by someone."

"Cersei," Tywin glowered.

"Maybe, she was the only one listening to you all these years," Tyrion jested, "it makes sense she would know how you think."

Tywin's jaw tightened at the thought of his daughter's further betrayal, "The movement of our army back to the Westerlands might tempt Dorne to attack yet."

"Perhaps," Tyrion shrugged in response, "If they do the Tyrell host will be ready for them, if they do not I will continue with the preparations for Daenerys Targaryen's invasion attempt."

"Good, I will secure the Iron Islands and the North if Queen Kenna fails," Tywin looked down from his horse at Tyrion, "In my absence I am trusting you to continue to nurture Tommen and protect him from outside influences."

Tyrion nodded, knowing that secure could mean peaceful negotiations or total destruction and the outside influences his father was referring to was Tommen's own wife and the rest of the Tyrell cohort.

"Have faith in me," Tyrion smiled back up to his father, "Tommen will not turn into a puppet on my watch."

"Faith is a sleeping draught for children and simpletons. You and I are neither," Tywin said definitively before turning his horse away from his son to join the long line of red and gold clad men marching from the Red Keep into the streets of King's Landing.

_So you have confidence in me then?_ Tyrion asked silently as he took his father's words as an unintended compliment and watched as what was left of the mighty Lannister army spill out the gate of the Red Keep.

"Good luck," Tyrion wished his father's back as he turned away from the gates to amble back towards the Red Keep to once again claim the Hand of the King's chambers as his own.

* * *

_A week later …._

**Courtyard of Winterfell, Seat of power of House Stark, Capital of the Northern Kingdom**

* * *

"The Lannister army is on the move," Jon announced to his gathered siblings, "Tywin Lannister is mustering forces in the Westerlands and it is believed his intention is to march North."

"I knew this was somehow all a trap," Arya said.

"I don't think this is a trap," Sansa replied thoughtfully.

"Well it wouldn't be a very good trap if you did," Arya snapped back.

"If Kenna was going to betray the North she would have done it already, it isn't like she doesn't have the numbers to do so," Jon said being the voice of reason.

"It does beg the question of why she is really here then," Robb rubbed his chin avoiding the healing cut.

"How about we just ask her?" Arya said as her impatience started to show.

Before Robb could rubbish her idea, the little Lady had shot off through the door.

"Arya," Robb shouted after his wayward sister.

A second later it was evident to everyone still left in the room that Arya wasn't returning. Robb started to sprint after her in the next second leaving Jon and Sansa to shoot each other suffering looks.

* * *

_A few minutes later …_

**Guest Chambers, Winterfell, Capital of the Northern Kingdom**

* * *

"I have decided on the names you know," Kenna voices wafted through the room.

_Finally,_ Royce thought as he looked down at the cot before him.

Two sleeping falcon twins occupied his vision and he was transported back to another time where he watched over another pair of sleeping twin falcons. The only difference then was that they had been two girls and now they were two boys.

Royce heard Kenna shuffle to stand next to him. She still looked pale and moved with tenderness in her muscles but she was past the worse Qyburn had assured him.

Kenna placed both her hands on the rim of the cot and picked up the babe that was covered in a red blanket, "This is Jorge, heir to Casterly Rock," Kenna beamed as she stroked the babe's forehead softly.

She rocked the babe slowly in her arms as she stared into the infant's green eyes, "You are looking at me like your _father_ does when I have done something that annoyed him," Kenna said playfully, missing the tight look on Lord Royce's face.

"And this," Kenna said as she carefully placed Jorge back in the cot to pick up his twin who was covered in a light blue blanket, "is Yohn, heir to the Kingdom of the Vale and the Mountain."

Lord Royce lost the gloomy countenance he had been carrying, "You named your eldest after me?"

"Of course, who else was I going to name him after?" Kenna chuckled weakly as she stared into her eldest's sky blue eyes.

"I .. don't know what to say," the old Lord responded falteringly.

"You need not say anything. Just know that you are more than my Hand or my subject," Kenna hesitated as she returned the babe in her hands to the cot, "I love you like a daughter loves a father."

Lord Royce was stunned by the emotional confession from his Queen, it was true he held a father's love for Kenna but he had never presumed that she would hold the same level of feelings for him. He was a trusted mentor and a steady guiding hand and he had no ambitions to be more than that in her eyes.

Lord Royce was still basking in his Queen's tender words when Lady Arya burst into the room, quickly followed by the King in the North.

* * *

Lord Royce put himself between Arya and Kenna in a protective stance with a hand resting on the pommel of his sword, "What is the meaning of this intrusion?"

"I have a question for Queen Kenna," Arya said boisterously before Robb could stop her. "A Lannister army is marching north, do you intend to join your forces with them?"

Kenna took her gaze away from her babes to look at Arya then beyond to Robb and let out a weary breath, "Yes."

"What?" Robb yelped shocked at her answer.

"Told you," Arya said as her hand moved towards her belt.

"The North need not fear, Tywin Lannister isn't coming to reclaim the North. He is calling his bannermen in the Westerlands to resupply his host before he turns his attention to the Iron Islands."

"I intend to unite the Vale led forces with his army on my return to the South. I would like what is left of the Northern forces to join me," Kenna ignored the sight of Arya slowly dragging her knife free of it's sheath and concentrated on Robb, she knew Lord Royce was watching the wild wolf for her.

"Arya," Robb shouted as his hand gripped her shoulder realising his sister's intentions, "Leave now."

"Fine," Arya muttered back retracting her hand and shrugging Robb's hand off her shoulder before walking from the room.

She had another target to go after instead.

Kenna watched as Lord Royce's back muscles relaxed with Lady Arya's exit.

"I think the conversation you want to have with me shouldn't be had in front of my new-born sons so," Kenna gestured to the door Arya had walked though.

Robb walked backwards with a bewildered look on his face until he turned and disappeared from view.

"Lord Royce do not leave this room until I have returned," Kenna commanded.

"Of course," Lord Royce said glancing towards the cot and the now sleeping babes.

Noting untoward would befall the sleeping falcons while he still stood and breathed.

* * *

Robb stood in the centre of Kenna's solar, containing his confusion and anger in equal measure.

_Why does she want the North to join forces with the Crown? _

He heard the soft bang of the door closing signalling Kenna's presence in the room then the pitter patter of her gentle steps on the stone floor as she slipped into his view.

It was then that Robb took in her appearance. Black bags hung under her eyes and every movement seemed to sap energy she didn't have. Her hair was tangled and fell beyond her shoulders in layers.

Kenna inhaled a deep breath as if readying herself for Robb's wrath or to launch into an explanation.

"Kenna," Robb stopped her, noting how motherhood was taking its toll on her. His own mother had made it look so easy.

Kenna seemed to deflate as her name echoed around the room and her shoulders sagged making her seem smaller than she had ever appeared before.

"Please sit down before you fall down," Robb said as he pointed towards a small table that hugged the wall with two chairs jutting out from underneath the surface.

She quickly sat in one, grateful to give her unsteady legs a respite.

"What is going on? You got your revenge; you got the Vale's freedom, you have children now," Kenna scoffed at Robb's words as if every woman's goal in life was to simply reproduce, "What more do you want?"

"I want to protect all that I have", Kenna chided as if it was obvious as Robb sat opposite her, "No one can take away the satisfaction I had when I drove my blade into Lysa's neck or the pure bliss I felt when I cut Littlefinger's throat but the same cannot be said of the Vale's Independence or my children."

"You joined forces with the Lannisters and the Crown because you fear Daenerys Targaryen will take what is yours?" Robb pieced together leaning forward.

"Yes, and she will take what is yours as well," Kenna said sharply.

"How can you be so sure she will," Robb enquired tempering his tone, "You have never met her and-"

"She has three dragons and a birth right to the _Seven_ Kingdoms, two of which are currently ours. She will not tolerate our independence like Tommen Baratheon will. She will simply fly her dragons to our cities and threaten to burn them unless we submit. In the face of that what would you do? Fight and die or submit and lose the North's hard-earned independence? Everything you have fought for over the past few years all gone because you couldn't bend your pride and work with your enemies in the face of a greater threat," Kenna panted the last few words as if she had run out of air.

"If we are going to have to submit when she comes why not join her now?" Robb said ignoring Kenna's insult in favour of seeking clarity.

"Daenerys Targaryen's right-hand man, Lord Varys, has already tried to kill me. I don't imagine he will stop when she sits on the Throne. Early submission or late surrender are not options for me," Kenna revealed, "Once she sits on the Throne with three dragons at her beck and call it is all over. There will be no accountability, no opposing her like we could do so in the face of Aery's madness. There will just be fire and blood."

"How do you think combining the Northern forces with the Crowns and yours will stop her?" Robb asked trying to find the point of fighting an unstoppable force.

"Daenerys Targaryen's power comes from her three dragons; without them she is nothing but a girl leading a small army."

"Fine, how would we defeat three dragons?" Robb rephrased.

"With scorpions," Kenna said confidently, "My man Qyburn has developed an instrument capable of felling an adult dragon, he thinks."

"He thinks," Robb scoffed.

"It isn't like he has had the chance to test it," Kenna shot back, "I will send him to King's Landing when Yohn and Jorge are a bit stronger so he can help fortify the city."

Robb's features softened at the reveal of her twin's names, just as Kenna had intended.

Robb bit the inside of his mouth, "How are they?"

"Healthy," Kenna answered as she resisted the urge to close her eyes and slumber.

"You look … weak," Robb said with concern, raking his eyes over her, forgetting why they were having this tense conversation in the first place.

But Kenna hadn't.

"I am weak. So if you are going to stop me joining forces with Tywin Lannister now is the time to throw me in the dungeon," Kenna said testing the boundaries of Robb's anger and honour.

Robb's flashing eyes captured Kenna's, "I might do just that. Why is the Lannister army coming north?"

"It isn't coming north," Kenna stated with quiet authority and wondering how much conviction was behind Robb's words of imprisonment, "Tywin Lannister is attempting to secure the loyalty of the Iron Island and I am-"

"Attempting to secure the loyalty of the North. That is why you truly came," Robb figured out then accused, "You are acting in collaboration with Tywin Lannister."

"I also came to ensure you would remain King in the North but yes I came North to get you to agree to join forces with the Crown so we may defeat Daenerys Targaryen together before she burns us all to a crisp," Kenna said honestly, deciding Robb deserved the truth with minimal manipulation on this point.

Robb growled as he stood from his chair and invaded Kenna's personal space putting one hand on the table and another on the top of Kenna's chair, "Maybe I would submit to the Dragon Queen if I got to see all my enemies burn before her dragons."

Kenna halted the chuckle on her lips, physical intimidation no longer held the sway it once did on her, especially when it came from the honourable son of Eddard Stark. Besides Kenna had always found actual violence was a more effective tool of intimidation than the threat of it.

"You would have to bend the knee to her first," _And watch me burn too,_ Kenna added in her mind. "All the blood that _you _have spilt in the name of an independent North would be for nothing."

"What of the northern blood the Lannister's have spilt?" Robb raged as he leant down so he was a breath away from Kenna's face, "What of my father, my mother, my wife, my unborn child? Tywin Lannister was responsible for the Red Weddings which you seem to have forgotten about. You nearly died too."

"I have not forgotten," Kenna refused to be daunted by the truth even in her weakened state, "I will never forget that night nor those who died. But nor do I forget how that night came to pass and who was responsible for giving such an opportunity to our enemies. It could have all been avoided if you had just kept you promise-"

In the next instant Kenna saw Robb jump back from her and retreat to the centre of the room.

"Don't," Robb growled with rage visible in his eyes and the angry tremble in his fist.

It had been a low blow to state Robb's dead family was his fault and Kenna commended Robb's restraint to remove himself from her presence. Kenna knew if their roles were reversed there would have likely been only one monarch leaving the room still breathing.

Kenna's rage despite her attempts at containing it was like Robb's love, boundless and at times reckless.

_Tough,_ Kenna thought watching Robb calm himself down. _The truth fucking hurts._

Just like how Kenna knew if she had seen Lysa's treachery earlier then countless Valemen wouldn't have needed to die in her war against the Lannisters to avenge her father's murder. Her sister would probably still have been alive and she wouldn't have been married off to the Kingslayer and just have given birth to bastard twins.

Robb seemed to remember himself and stilled while keeping an intense gaze on Kenna.

"Sorry," Kenna muttered knowing she had crossed a line, however necessary she had felt it to do so.

"Family is everything, and I have almost lost all of my family," Kenna shifted uncomfortably trying to justify her words out loud and felt vulnerable under Robb's gaze, "Makes one … more extreme."

"I understand that not everything a leader does is pleasant and agreeable to them but allying with the very people who cut off my father's head and are responsible for murdering half my family is too far a step for me to take."

Kenna's body groaned as she pushed herself from her chair but she wore a mask of determination. She had to get Robb to see reality, to see what the potential futures were.

To see what she saw.

"So, you are willing to bow to the daughter of the man who burnt your grandfather alive while your uncle strangled himself trying to save him? To the sister of the man who kidnapped and raped your Aunt. To the girl that has three adult dragons and a notorious family history of madness?"

"Daenerys Targaryen may turn out to be a monster but I know the Lannisters_ are_ monsters," Robb reasoned back firmly.

"Yes," Kenna agreed, "but the Lannisters are flesh and blood. They can be beaten with ease compared to three dragons."

Robb's eyes seemed to light up at what Kenna was implying, "Tell me Queen Kenna, if I were to pledge my forces to oppose Daenerys Targaryen and we won what then? Would you help me make the Lannister's pay their debts to the North? Would you march beside me as I tear through the Westerlands?"

"If you march beside me now, I will march beside you in the future like I did in the past," Kenna stated knowing that she had been on a collision course with the Lannisters and Tyrells before Daenerys Targaryen had become an issue and if she were no longer an issue that collision course would resume.

"Trust once lost is not easily regained," Robb said behind hooded eyes, still weary of the woman who sat before him.

_Who is she really?_ Robb questioned himself as his feelings churned away inside him.

Was she the Bloody Falcon that had mindlessly tore through Euron Greyjoy without mercy; was she the caring and honourable leader who had marched her army to his call in the Riverlands; or was she the calculating and formidable Queen that had taken King's Landing from Stannis without hesitation.

"I have never lost trust in you," Kenna responded cutting through Robb's thoughts, "I have never broken the trust you have placed in me and I don't intend to. We are more than allies Robb. We are more than friends. We are the only ones that can truly understand the burden that the other carries."

Robb closed the gap between them, "I am glad you survived the Eyrie's fall and King's Landing. I would have felt great guilt and regret if you had been executed."

"I asked you to leave. What happened afterwards had nothing to do with you so please let go that guilt and regret you have been holding onto."

Robb tilted his head upwards and closed his eyes. He exhaled and nearly skipped his next breath as Kenna's hand caressed the cut on his chin.

"Who did that?"

"Harrion Karstark."

"You could grow a beard to cover it if you wished," Kenna suggested trying to remove the layer of agitation surrounding them while retracting her hand.

"You can't help but give out advice, can you?" Robb teased, immediately releasing all the tension in the room.

"I will gather the rest of my banner-men and situate the Wildlings in the Gift. My brother also intends to take a party beyond the walk in a hunt for White Walkers," Robb waved on Kenna's look of incredibility, "This will take time but once I have the full forces of the North behind me, I will march south to join your war against the Dragon Queen."

"Thank you, Robb. It is the right decision," Kenna said resolutely as she started to walk back towards the room containing her new-borns and Lord Royce.

Robb watched her slip behind the door as he touched the healing wound on his face.

He missed the warmth of her hand on his cheek.

* * *

_Next day …._

**Courtyard in Water Gardens, Sunspear, Seat of power of House Nymeros Martell, Capital of Dorne**

* * *

"Agent of chaos," Oberyn murmured half asleep, repeating the word's Ser Bronn had used to describe the individual that had masterminded Doran's death.

A hand snaked around his naked midriff from behind to curl up towards his chest, "I thought I had successfully distracted you for a moment," Ellaria said in a deep voice as her hair fell over Oberyn's shoulders when her mouth captured her Prince's ear lobe then nibbled at his neck.

Oberyn let out a hearty laugh, "It wasn't from lack of effort my love and I appreciated all your attentions but I will not rest until I punish all those responsible for Doran and my sister's death."

Ellaria tried to entice Oberyn to stay in bed but he pushed out of her embrace and started to get dressed.

Ellaria sent him a disappointed pout but she too rose from the bed.

"We will find the responsible party and they will know pain," Ellaria said as she walked naked towards Oberyn to plant a sensual kiss on his lips.

Oberyn returned the passionate kiss but broke from it to continue dressing.

"You may want to get dressed too. We have a meeting now."

"That is all we seem to do now," Ellaria smarted. She hated inaction as much as she hated discussing action and not actually doing anything.

"I hate it as much as you do but my nephew insists," Oberyn said holding up her dress.

Ellaria took the light garment reluctantly as Oberyn's eyes wandered over her.

* * *

"Dear Nephew has there been an update in the investigation I was unaware of?" Oberyn plopped himself down into one of the five set up chairs. They were placed in a circle so everyone was facing each other.

Ellaria took her seat beside Oberyn. Cersei and Myrcella were already seated as well as Trystane with Areo Hotah standing by his side.

"No Uncle but I have made a decision on the path forward," Trystane announced with a stern look on his face, as if he was anticipating a battle to enforce his will.

"Mmmm," Oberyn offered in way of eliciting more information from the young prince.

"You will go to Mereen and join with Daenerys Targaryen's forces. You will keep me informed of her whereabouts and progress towards Westeros."

"I will?" Oberyn tested.

"You will," Trystane commanded in a tone that reminded Oberyn of his late brother.

"What about the conspirator?" Oberyn questioned.

"I will handle it," Trystane replied in a stern voice.

Oberyn flicked his head back and forth as if weighing up a decision, "Why send me?"

"I need a reliable and trustworthy person in her inner circle to advise her to …." Trystane searched for the right word but Ellaria beat him to it.

"Hurry up?" Ellaria offered.

Trystane turned his head to his uncle's paramour, "Exactly."

"I want to find the agent of chaos," Oberyn snarled, "Not go babysit the next Targaryen monarch."

Trystane swivelled on his seat so he was directly facing his uncle.

"If you want to avenge both Elia's death as well as my father's then we need to work together and ensure we are in a position to do both. I will work on the identity of the conspirator from Dorne and you will remind Daenerys Targaryen of her promise to right the wrongs of Elia and my cousin's deaths."

Oberyn sat in silence as he kept his fiery rage at bay at being commanded so boldly by his nephew, his brother had always made it feel like a choice.

"I will go on two conditions," Oberyn finally said with his hands brushing the tops of his thighs, "Ellaria comes with me. I refuse to be forced to go to Mereen without any source of entertainment."

Trystane nodded, having expected that demand.

"And Cersei comes too," Oberyn finished looking at the mentioned woman with a toothy grin.

Before Cersei could express her misgivings Myrcella jumped in, "Why?"

"As you may be aware Princess, I am impulsive and need someone to temper me in scenario's where diplomacy is required."

"You think my mother is the person to … temper you?" Myrcella asked doubtfully, reflecting everyone's thoughts in her words.

"Your mother is one of the most manipulative people the Seven Kingdoms has ever seen. A person able to twist any political situation to their suiting. That sounds like someone that maybe useful trying to convince a Dragon Queen to cross the Narrow Sea sooner rather than later."

"Why trust me?" Cersei asked in a harsh voice not believing any word that had come out of Oberyn's mouth.

"I won't be," Oberyn said nonchalantly, "You would do anything for your children. Myrcella is the future of Dorne and your son's life hangs on the whim of Daenerys Targaryen. It is only fair that you should be the one to plead for his life."

"Fine," Trystane agreed resting a hand on Myrcella's, "Take both with you but do not lose focus on why I am sending you there."

"Yes, dear nephew," Oberyn tutted, "I will make it clear to the Targaryen girl that the more she waits the stronger the defences will be for her dragons to blast through."

"I am glad you have agreed to go," Trystane said and it was clear on his face that he was grateful that Oberyn hadn't put up more of a fight.

Oberyn chuckled at the relief he found upon his nephew's face, "I am the Red Viper but I am also a servant of Dorne. I wouldn't always agree with what my brother wanted but I would do as he bid because I knew he had the best intentions for Dorne in his heart as you do."

"Thank you, Uncle," Trystane said as he rose and effectively ended the meeting by walking off with Myrcella on his arm and Areo Hotah walking in their shadow.

Oberyn observed the fierce look Cersei was sending Ellaria and when those fierce eyes switched to pummel him, he couldn't help but smile back as a warm tingle went up his spin.

_This was going to be fun at least,_ Oberyn depicted from the fiery eyes burning holes into him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BIRTH - I normally have a RIP section here so this was a bit weird :D
> 
> Jorge & Yohn Lannister (Father Tywin Lannister - Mother Kenna Lannister 'nee' Arryn)
> 
> So Kenna's promise in Chapter 18 and Tywin's actions in Chapter 37 final bear fruit. What will these twins bring to the game of thrones? PS They were always going to be twins, I mean Kenna is a twin herself and Tywin had twins so it felt right. Also on the last names, basically Yohn (Jnr) if he ascends to the Weirwood Throne (become King over the Vale and Mountain) will change his name to Arryn to keep the line going.


	59. Cold Comfort

* * *

_Next day …_

**Guest Chambers, Winterfell, Seat of power of House Stark, Capital of the Northern Kingdom**

* * *

"I won't do it," Artys said brazenly across the table at his aunt.

"You say that like I am giving you a choice," Kenna clucked impatiently, "but I am giving you an _order_."

Artys didn't need to survey the table to know Lord Royce and Lord Grafton were giving him warning looks.

"I go where you go," Artys all but pleaded knowing he wasn't just making demands of his aunt but also his Queen.

_Afraid that line only works with Yohn,_ Kenna reminisced on her bond with her Hand.

"Dear beloved nephew I know your words come from a place of kindness and want to protect your family so know that my next words also come from that very same place," Kenna rose from her chair and walked to Artys to place a hand on his shoulder, "You _will_ go with Lord Grafton and return to the Eyrie to rule in the absence of her Queen and Hand. You will act as regent until my children come of age or one of us returns to the Vale," Kenna said flicker her finger between herself and Lord Royce.

"Did I do something to displease you?" Arys murmured.

Kenna softened her tone and her hand affectionately wrapped itself around Arty's shoulder, "Being asked to rule is not a punishment."

"It seems like it," Artys spluttered childishly reminding Kenna that he was only thirteen years old, still not truly a man.

Kenna knelt onto the floor and clasped both Arty's hands, dragging the young boy's attention away from the window to her sparkling light blue eyes that mirrored his own.

"I am not sending you away because I don't _want_ you here or because your cousins have replaced you in my eyes," when Artys looked down to his lap Kenna's fingers brought his chin back up to face her true words, "Rather it is because you are _needed_ in the Vale. Lord Royce and myself are leading the Knights of the Vale, Jorge and Yohn are just babes. They cannot rule, but you can."

"There are capable Lords at the Eyrie-"

"Yes, and none of them have Arryn blood flowing through their veins," Kenna countered, "I trust you to protect _our_ people and _rule_ the Vale. You are your mother's son. You are an Arryn."

Artys nodded as both sets of clear blue eyes looked into the other. One set found comfort and encouragement while the other found long lost memories of better times.

Kenna released Artys's hands, placed a chaste kiss on the boy's forehead and strode to lean on the wall by the window so she could see out onto Winterfell's Courtyard.

"Lord Grafton you may gather the fleet, including Commander Strickland's ships, and sail for the Eyrie," Kenna ordered as she caught a glimpse of Jon Stark trudging across the Courtyard below, "You are to remain there until word comes of Daenerys Targaryen's movements but be ready to sail onto King's Landing at a moment's notice to join the Royal Fleet."

"What Royal Fleet," the burly man joked, most of it had been under Stannis's command at the Battle of Blackwater and what remained was a paltry force compared to the Iron Fleet or the Redwyne fleet at the Abor.

Kenna sent her Master of Ships a bemused look, "The Crown is our ally try to play nice with them."

"Yes, your Grace," Lord Grafton almost sang in reply as he rose and tapped Artys on the top of his head, "that is your cue to leave too."

Artys immediately pushed himself out his seat and copied Lord Grafton's little bow before shooting Kenna a weak smile, "I won't let you down."

"I know," Kenna responded reassuringly watching her nephew and loyal Master of Ships depart.

Kenna slipped off the wall and returned her gaze to look down upon the Courtyard.

Jon Stark was still stomping from one end to the other, talking to various groups of people on his way until he encountered a hideous looking boulder of a man who didn't seem to give two shits about the brooding Lord in front of him. Kenna spied a young-looking red head enter the fray.

"He will do fine," Lord Royce said from just above her shoulder.

Kenna hummed her agreement before completely turning around to face her most trusted advisor.

"I sometimes forget that they are all so very young."

"Who?"

"Artys, Lady Sansa, Tommen Baratheon, Lady Shireen …. even Robb Stark. All children fighting their parents' wars. I wonder what battles my sons will be fighting on my behalf in the future," Kenna asked pondering the future.

"Once you are finished, I don't think anyone will be left to oppose you or your children," Lord Royce stated, gazing down at his charge.

Kenna gave her old mentor a wiry smile but couldn't truly tell if he was jesting or being serious. When you had power, there would always be someone else willing to do everything to take it from you.

"We will be departing soon for the Crownlands, prepare the Knights of the Vale and inform Commander Strickland to ready his men. I will do the same with King Robb. I want to be marching south in a fortnight's time."

"I take it your husband will be accompanying us back south?"

"As oppose to staying in a cozy cell here in Winterfell?" Kenna remarked whimsically before smirking ominously, "Robb hasn't demanded anything yet and won't do so for as long as we are allied with the Lannisters. My dear husband keeps his head for now."

"He knows," Lord Royce said darkly, alluding to the secret of her twin's true parentage.

"He does but he also knows that being .. disruptive is not in his best interests. I cannot hand Robb his head yet but he still has one hand left," Kenna said vindictively.

Lord Royce nodded in understanding, "Will Jorge and Yohn accompany the army south or stay at Winterfell?"

"The twins will stay with me. As their mother I am best suited to care for them especially with Qyburn gone," Kenna stated resolutely, knowing that taking newborns on the march with an army was hardly conventional parenting.

"He should have made it to the Riverlands by now," Lord Royce said, aware the odd man had departed.

"He will be a welcome surprise for Lord Tyrion," Kenna said as she rolled her neck, "I don't think there is enough wildfire left for him to repeat his previous trick."

"Highly doubtful that wildfire actually hurts a dragon," Lord Royce stated matter-of-factually.

"Maybe, maybe not," Kenna shrugged.

All she cared about was that it was proven that a large bolt to the eye or at a weak point on a young adult dragon was enough to bring it down.

"Do you think it was wise sending him ahead? He could have travelled with our armies and looked after you and your children," Lord Royce said trying to hide his concerns behind his stony face.

Kenna saw straight through his facade, "Gods be good, Yohn and Jorge will remain healthy and of course I would rather Qyburn had remained with them but war doesn't wait for children to grow up."

_It didn't wait for me, _Kenna added silently almost hearing Euron's mad laugh surround her and feel the fresh air of the sea hit the back of her throat.

"Qyburn is needed in King's Landing urgently to fortify their defenses. If King's Landing falls to dragon fire and burns we will burn with it," Kenna declared as she caught sight of Robb walking in the Courtyard below.

Lord Royce saw his Queen's attention switch to the Courtyard and took this as his sign to leave. He bent his head and removed himself from the room, knowing all the decisions had been made.

He left pondering a single thought.

_Would the Mother of Dragons be able to defeat the Bloody Falcon, the Young Wolf, the Queen of Thorns and the Old Lion if they all worked together?_

* * *

An hour later …

**Broken Tower, Winterfell, Capital of the Northern Kingdom**

* * *

"Interesting place to spend your time," Kenna said as she climbed the last remaining steps to enter into the partially ruined tower top.

Kenna didn't get a response so she instructed her guards to wait on the other side of the door in the passageway as she made her way towards the silent Kingslayer.

Jaime didn't move from his position near the edge of the broken tower, staring out into the gloomy mist that had descended on Winterfell. You could hardly see the surrounding structures and the ground below was completely obscured in grey clouds, making it seem like Jaime and Kenna where the only ones around. But Kenna knew this wasn't true, her guards were waiting for her outside of ear shot but within shouting range.

One could never be too careful when playing with a Lion's tail, even a maimed one.

"Not considering jumping, are you?" Kenna asked Jaime's back, trying to elicit a reaction.

"I wouldn't give you the satisfaction," Jaime snarled breaking his silence but not moving a muscle.

"Just as well. As much satisfaction as I would get informing your father of your fate, I doubt he would believe the truth. He would probably suspect I had orchestrated your fall and then our alliance would be over before it could achieve it's purpose," Kenna remarked lightly.

"And what purpose is that? Ensuring you secure more power? That my father has a legacy he can be proud of?" Jaime said in a tone conveying his frustration at his current predicament.

Kenna stiffened, "Do you truly have no grasp of the threat Daenerys Targaryen poses or are you just thick? This alliance is fighting for our families survival. Power and legacy will mean nothing if we are all dead."

Jaime took a step back from the edge as he thought of his brother, his sister, Tommen and Myrcella. The coming Targaryen's invasion put them all in danger, in one form or another.

"The birth went well by the way and the display of concern for your _kin_ is overwhelming," Kenna said sarcastically.

Since the twin's births Jaime hadn't asked to visit them and Kenna hadn't been inclined to ask him to. But they were of the same blood, _brothers_, so Jaime's continued act of indifference to her children was still unwelcome but perhaps understandable.

Jaime continued to look into the nothingness of swirling fog beyond the ruined tower's edge.

"So silent today, one would assume you lost your tongue not your hand," Kenna quipped as she settled a metre away from Jaime, wary to remain a sensible distance away from her current quarry.

"And one would assume an Arryn would be honorable and keep her oaths," Jaime said as he turned his head finally fully engaging with his wife.

"Stannis betrayed me first. I would say my oath to serve him faithfully was broken from his side," Kenna said ignoring how the fury in Jaime's green eyes reminded her of another's.

"That isn't the oath I was referring to," Jaime rebounded on Kenna.

"Ah," Kenna playfully pronounced, "you are referring to the oath I pledge to you in the Great Sept of Baelor. Quite hypocritical of you considering you were fucking _your own sister_ throughout our married life in King's Landing."

"I am an oath breaker but I don't pretend to be anything else," Jaime conceded before jabbing, "Unlike you who goes around expounding the virtues of keeping promises and your bloody honour."

"I do keep my promises-"

Kenna was interrupted by a wild laugh from Jaime.

"I made a promise to your father to give him a _worthy heir_ and I kept that," hissed Kenna, defending her actions in the face of her husband's chortling.

"He is a hypocrite too," Jaime spat into the air between them, his rage reaching the surface, "Fucking your own son's wife isn't exactly demonstrating the family values he is always going on about. The great legacy of Tywin Lannister being carried on by bastards."

Kenna recoiled slightly at the vulgar way Jaime had spoken the truth but the truth it was. There was no way of getting around that fact.

Her children were bastards.

"Me fucking your father is one of the least damaging outcomes of you fucking your sister, don't you think?" Kenna shot back, losing her cool as her mind dwelled on her children's bastardy.

Jaime just shrugged his shoulders, uninterested in the conversation anymore. Not wanting to discuss the night time activities of his father any further.

Kenna sighed, normally when she verbally jousted with a Lannister it was enjoyable and thrilling; Tyrion made her laugh with his snide comments, Cersei's empty threats were amusing, Tywin's powerful presence was mesmerising but Jaime, he simply paled in comparison.

Kenna couldn't leave such an unsatisfying conversation alone, not when she was this worked up.

She had to scratch the itch inside her head that demanded a challenge to overcome, "You know your sister is no longer in King's Landing but in Dorne."

"What?" Jaime exclaimed.

_Got your attention now._

"She was _apparently_ kidnapped by Prince Dorne when he made his daring escape from your father's encampment just after you traded yourself for her as well. The Gods do find little ironies, don't they?" Kenna said, savouring the alarmed look on her husband's face, "Saving her from one enemy so she can get captured by another."

"I once pushed someone from this tower," Jaime said bluntly.

_Finally, the Lion shows his claws_, Kenna smiled,"If you push me, you won't see another sunset let alone Cersei again."

"Will I see her again anyway?"

"Entirely dependent on your future actions."

"I am only alive because my father won't tolerate my death at your or Robb Stark's hands," Jaime clenched his fist, knowing his life was not his and never had been his.

"Correct," Kenna said not denying the truth as she stepped away from Jaime and rejoining her guards in the passageway.

She had made Jaime's position clear and earned that tingling sensation of having bested a Lannister in her stomach.

She loved and craved that feeling, even if it was just _Jaime_ Lannister.

Jaime heard the retreating footsteps and retuned his gaze to the abyss in front of him, _I will see Cersei again,_ he promised himself unaware that another dirty Lannister family secret had been discovered by a concealed Stark child in the Broken Tower.

Arya clung tightly to the old stones on the outside of the tower with both hands, just below where Jaime Lannister currently stood. Her tongue ran across the knife in-between her teeth.

She had come here with murder on her mind, but now she descended down the stone wall pondering the overheard secret.

_How best to use this knowledge for the North?_ She wondered as she expertly scaled down the ruined tower._ Queen Kenna and Tywin Lannister, Robb is going to go have a fit._

Before she reached the bottom of the tower, she had come to the conclusion that she wasn't the best person to answer her own question.

She had to tell someone .. but who?

* * *

_A day later …._

**Courtyard of Winterfell, Seat of power of House Stark, Capital of the Northern Kingdom**

* * *

Robb could feel Kenna's ever watchful gaze on him as he bid farewell to his sister and brother.

"Is there no way I could change your mind to let old myths lie?" Robb tried one more time to dissuade his brother from undergoing his journey.

"They are real and I swore an oath to protect the realms of men from them," Jon replied seriously.

Robb gave him a sad smile but dragged his brother into a strong bear hug, "Just come back that is all I ask."

"I will brother," Jon replied letting some of the tension he had been holding seep away in the brotherly embrace he found himself in, "and look after Arya she has a habit of getting lost."

"I heard that," Arya adorned as she bounced into Robb's now open arms.

"You know it is true," Robb teased.

Arya wrapped her arms tighter around Robb's neck lifting herself off the ground, "Look after Jon," Robb whispered into her ear.

"I thought he was supposed to look after me," she replied cheekily.

"Look after each other," Robb said as he saw Jon and Sansa exchange a warm hug, "Wolves do better in packs."

"Two is hardly a pack," Arya pointed out refusing to let the hug end quite so soon.

"We are four now," Robb said setting Arya back on the ground.

"Counting Bran out all ready?"

"Mmm," Robb muttered thoughtfully down at his little sister, "Helping Jon on his little quest isn't the only reason you are going beyond the Wall."

"No, I intend to find Bran. Osha said he was heading for beyond the Wall so that is where I will look first."

"Fine, just be … careful," Robb settled on.

"Always," Arya nodded before approaching her sister who practically engulfed Arya in her arms.

"Can you believe it?" Robb said to Jon as they stood side by side, "they hated each other a few years ago."

"Aye but that was a lifetime ago," Jon relied in a heavy tone.

* * *

Kenna watched as Eddard Stark's children gave their farewells to each other. Jon and Robb stood together while Sansa had Arya trapped in a loving embrace. Kenna observed that Arya was talking to Sansa throughout their interaction and saw how the redhead's face paled slightly at whatever her little sister was saying.

_That cannot be a good sign,_ Kenna deduced and noted to herself to question Sansa later but continued to scrutinise every action from her perch by her window.

Arya released her sister and crouched to pet a large direwolf who had trotted to her side.

_That must be Grey Wind,_ Kenna deduced as she spied Jon's completely white direwolf prowling by the readied horses.

Kenna's small smile at the warm scene was slapped off her face when Arya straightened suddenly and sent her a cold look that contained the fury of winter in it.

Kenna was trapped in the icy embrace of the younger Stark woman's empty eyes until she turned away and followed Jon to mounted their steads and joined their other two traveling companions who were waiting by the open gate.

Kenna having recovered from Arya's penetrating gaze noticed one companion was female and clearly a wildling and the other one was well known to her upon a closer inspection.

_The Hound. How did he end up here?_ Kenna pondered.

Her curiosity got the better of her feeling of uneasiness and she made her way down into the Courtyard.

By the time she stepped into the cold winter air Sansa was nowhere to be seen and Robb was watching a blacksmith hammer away.

"When did the Hound join your services?" Kenna asked as she approached Robb.

Robb turned away from the blacksmith immediately and blocked Kenna's view of what the muscled man was working on, "The Hound was with Arya when she came back to me. I allowed him to stay in my service for returning her to me."

"I see," Kenna murmured turning her head to the now closed gate of Winterfell, her thoughts focusing on the odd traveling party.

"Once they find nothing but old tales and stories they will return," Robb said confidently staring at the gate too.

"The Hound is a good sworn sword to have and I was under the impression your brother was a formidable warrior. I also know that your sister is handy with a knife. All three seem like they would be useful in a war why are you letting them chase myths?"

"When Jon spent time beyond the Wall, he swears he saw a band of White Walkers. He believes that they are real and that the Long Night is coming again and as a sworn brother of the Night's Watch it is his job to make sure that doesn't happen."

"The Long Night is nothing but an old wife's tale meant to scare little children," Kenna chided, not believing that Robb was wasting any resources exploring the possibility that ice men roamed beyond the Wall.

Robb shrugged, "My brother is no liar so I am giving him the opportunity to prove what he says is true and my sister wanted to go beyond the Wall to search for our brother, Bran."

Kenna cocked her head, "Your brother Bran who fell from the Broken Tower?"

"He didn't fall, he was thrown out by your husband," Robb deadpanned as all joy instantly vanished from his face.

Robb observed Kenna's lack of a reaction, "You don't seem surprised, did my mother confide in you she thought it was Jaime Lannister?"

"No, she did not but Jaime told me recently he had thrown someone out of the Broken Tower and it doesn't take much imagination to figure out who that might have been."

"Once our wars are done and there is no longer any need of the alliance with the Lannisters I will take his head," Robb said clearly looking directly into her eyes to make sure she understood him, "Your children will grow up _fatherless_."

"I know," Kenna said softly before matching Robb's stare, "and I would stand beside you when you take his head. Jaime Lannister is a Kingslayer, a kinslayer and an oathbreaker. The world needs less men like him and more men like you."

The clanging of metal broke both their concentration on the other and provided a distraction to pursue a more light hearted topic of conversation. Neither Kenna nor Robb wanted to dwell on the topic of fathers, fatherhood and executions.

"What are you trying to hide behind your back?" Kenna asked with renewed interest.

"I am hiding nothing," Robb denied as he pivoted around to stand shoulder to shoulder with Kenna, "I am having the pommels knocked off the two parts of _Ice_ and remoulded."

"Let me guess instead of golden lions you are going to have silver wolves?" Kenna watched as the blacksmith banged away on one of the golden encrusted pommels.

"I am a Stark," Robb said in defense of his predictability, "one will have six silver wolves decorating the pommel while the other will have a trout and a wolf on each side in honour of my mother, grandfather, uncle and great uncle."

Robb saw how Kenna's eyes admired the shining blades, "Having second thoughts about returning them to me? I am sure your sons would have loved to have a Valyrian sword each."

"I am sure they would have but House Lannister lost their ancestral Valyrian blade long ago and House Arryn has never possessed one," Kenna shifted her eyes workbench to Robb, "These two belong to House Stark and House Stark alone."

Robb smiled at the honourable decision from the Queen over the Mountains, Valyrian blades were rare and desirable but it seems she placed their relationship on a higher level.

"Have you thought about names?" Kenna asked with excitement dancing behind her eyes.

Robb shot Kenna an equally excited grin, of course he had.

"The one engraved with the trout and wolf will be called _The_ _Trident's Vengeance_ and the one with the six wolves will be called _Silver Fang_.

Kenna nodded in understanding, _One named for the Red Weddings and one for his siblings._

"You will wield _Trident's Vengeance," _Kenna guessed based on his Tully heritage_,_ "and will Jon have _Silver Fang_ upon his return?"

"_Trident's Vengeance_ will be mine but Jon refused my offer of _Silver Fang_ as he already has the Valyrian sword of House Mormont at his disposal."

"Really, well maybe your sister could wield it? She is the spitting image of your aunt Lyanna after all."

"You knew my aunt?"

"Yes, I see a lot of her in you and your siblings," seeing Robb's interest she continued, "I saw your father teach her how to use a sword once when she visited the Vale. She was good," Kenna said trying to remember the contest she had witnessed but the image was blurry in her mind. It had been so long ago.

Before Robb could ask anymore questions, Kenna asked one of her own, "I need to speak to your sister. Do you know where she is?"

"Godswood," Robb replied as he watched the blacksmith fit the new pommels with renewed focus.

* * *

_Half an hour later .._

**Godswoods, Winterfell,** ** Seat of power of House Stark, Capital of the Northern Kingdom**

* * *

"Sansa," Kenna called out but she received no answer so she stepped further into the tree covered area.

Kenna had never visited a Godswood before. It looked to her southern eyes like an overgrown forest, so many different types of trees hemmed her in creating a mosaic of different shades of brown, reds, and greens.

Kenna reached the centre to see a large ancient Weirwood tree with a haunting face carved into it. The tree was surrounded by three small black pools of water that were lightly littered with fallen ashen leaves but steamed slightly in the cold Northern air indicating that they were hot springs.

It was truly an eerie sight with the unnerving face staring straight back at Kenna through the weak wall of steam with silence their only companion.

The spell of the Godswood was broken when Kenna heard a rustle behind her.

"Lady Sansa," Kenna said relieved to see another human being.

"Sorry to startle you. I am not as good as my sister on sneaking up on people it would seem," Sansa stated in a sweet tone thinking back on Arya's earlier words to her.

Kenna exhaled deeply, "And who has she been sneaking up on?"

"You and your husband mostly," Sansa said hooking her arm through Kenna's to start guiding them towards the ominous tree in the middle of the Godswood.

"Oh," Kenna replied as the hairs on the back of her neck started to stand up as she let Sansa lead her past the hot springs to stand directly in front of the oddly smiling face in the Weirwood tree.

"I often come her to reflect on my actions and confess my sins to the old gods," Sansa said looking up into the ceiling of branches and red leaves.

"Do you regret any recent actions or do you have a sin to confess?" Kenna enquired unhooking her arm from Sansa's.

"Not today, perhaps tomorrow," Sansa said flicking her eyes between the reddish canopy above her and the crystal clear blue eyes of her friend beside her, "What about you?"

"Ah if I were to recount every action I have every regretted and every sin I have ever committed we might be here for some time," Kenna said in a dark tone realising Sansa was playing a game with her, "so is there a particular sin or action of mine you are especially interested in?"

Sansa didn't even hesitate before replying.

"Arya overheard you and Jaime yesterday, discussing the parentage of your twins," Sansa stated holding her nerve and looking Kenna straight in the eye, doing her best not to be intimidated by the sudden intensity behind the older woman's eyes.

"And?" Kenna bluffed not releasing Sansa's eyes for even a moment.

"And most people would consider sleeping with their good-father .. distasteful but we could go one step further and call Tywin Lannister by other names; your enemy, your conqueror, your jailor, your would be executioner," Sansa lowered her voice but the ice cold ruthlessness in her words could still be heard, "your _lover_."

Kenna laughed at the emphasis Sansa had placed on the word. Maidens always did have problems with it.

"We were never lovers. I promised him an heir and that was all," Kenna corrected.

"You are right maybe lover is the wrong word," Sansa said as she walked forward to place a palm below the carved face on the trunk of the great tree, "maybe partner is more appropriate."

Kenna didn't find herself disagreeing with Sansa's choice. It seemed that while all the main players in King's Landing had been watching each other no one had been keeping an eye on the little Dove who had enjoyed a front row seat to the inner workings of how ruling and power really operated in King's Landing.

Sansa placed her back against the thick white trunk of the Weirwood tree then slid down it into a sitting position.

"King's Landing gave you claws didn't it?" Kenna mused out loud with a slight proud look on her face.

But she wasn't too concerned, a wolf could grow claws but it couldn't change its gentle heart.

"And thick skin," Sansa replied from her sitting position, mirroring Kenna's small smile.

"You saw every little moment, every charged interaction between us, didn't you?" Kenna said as she sat down next to Sansa to stare out into the rising steam of the hot springs.

"I don't pretend to understand why but I know what I saw between you two. Not love but mutual understanding maybe and a desire to challenge the other," Sansa spoke more to the air in front of them than to Kenna still uncomfortable talking about such a subject.

Kenna closed her eyes, _I don't know why either,_ she grumbled in her head but asked the obvious question out loud, "Will you tell Robb?"

Kenna waited in herself imposed darkness until Sansa's hand interwove itself with her own.

"No, the parentage of your children has no bearing on the North and the knowledge would only serve as a distraction to Robb. I will take this information no further, whether you want to tell Robb or not is your decision."

Kenna squeezed Sansa's hand, "Thank you."

"If it wasn't for you, I would still be in King's Landing rotting away inside playing the little Dove. I owe you a great deal and from one Lannister bride to another, _we pay our debts_."

* * *

_Two weeks later … Middle of the Night_

_ **Tower Cell, Inner Castle, Winterfell, ** _ **Seat of power of House Stark, Capital of the Northern Kingdom**

* * *

Yara Greyjoy lay flat on the uncomfortable wooden bench in one of the tower cells of Winterfell counting the individual stones that surrounded her on all sides.

Being a prisoner consisted mostly of waiting and she had never been patient. She had never needed to be patient. As the daughter of Balon Greyjoy she had done what she wanted, when she had wanted.

She let out a frustrated snarl.

Surely the Drowned God had better plans for her than to rot away in this cell.

_Did I not pray enough to you? Were my offerings and raiding not enough?_

There was no answer for her in the darkness that surrounded her. Only the moonlight provided the tiniest amount of light so she could see the bars that held her if she so wished.

The something happened that she never expected.

A Stark solider came into her room with a lit torch. Then another came then another until there were a dozen men wearing the amour of Stark guards crowded in her room.

She shifted herself off the small bench she had been resting on to walk to the bars of her cell, this was a curious turn of events.

The men all silently made way for another helmeted guard, who was holding a key. The guard removed his helmet as he closed the gap between himself and the lock.

"Well fuck me, Uncle Victorian?" Yara said in utter shock.

"You will excuse me dear niece if I don't take you up on that offer but I am sure some of my men would gladly take it instead as payment for undertaking this daring rescue attempt," Victorian Greyjoy grinned back at his niece.

"Get me out of this cell," Yara demanded as her wits returned to her.

Victorian chucked at her fierceness but unlocked the gate.

Once it was open Yara sprung forward wanting to get out of the North as quickly as she could but her uncle put up an arm stopping her.

"Your father gave me two missions," Victorian said with a gleam in his dark eyes, "Rescue you and kill the bitch who stabbed Euron to death. I know she is here."

It took all but a second for Yara's thirst to avenge her uncle death's and the disgrace of the Greyjoy Rebellion to override her instinct for survival.

Yara took a knife from her uncle's belt, "Let's go kill the bitch then."


	60. The Kraken's Kiss

* * *

Exactly fifteen minutes later in the middle of the night_…_

**Robb's Chambers, Winterfell, Seat of power of House Stark, Capital of the Northern Kingdom**

* * *

"What will the Wildlings do?" Kenna asked as her eyes glided over the dower furniture in the solar recognizing it from when Lord Royce had carried her through the room just before she had given birth.

She and Robb currently sat in two large fur coated chairs that were opposite a roaring fire which was keeping the night's cold embrace from them. _Trident's Vengeance_ rested on the arm of Robb's chair, against the white fur that was draped over the massive wooden chair.

She flicked her eyes from the crackling flames to beyond the oak table to the closed door at the other end of the solar.

She had given birth behind those doors. On a bed that had witnessed the birth of Robb and Eddard Stark before Jorge and Yohn Lannister.

_Children of the Lion and the Falcon born in the Wolves den_.

_A sign of the cooperation that was to come?_ Kenna mused fancifully.

"They have already begun their journey to the Gift where they will settle," Robb said staring into the blazing fire, "I promised them that land if they would help me rid the North of Ramsey Bolton and they did that."

"I answered your call too. What do I get?" Kenna asked mercurially, annoyed that the Wildlings had been allowed to leave but their loyalties resided with no one.

"Exactly what you came here to get," Robb responded unequivocally, aware that Kenna's every action was being driven by her fear of dragon fire, "My support against Daenerys Targaryen as I promised you."

Kenna nodded slowly, trying to hide the relief she felt at Robb reconfirming his support.

But she failed.

Robb had spent enough time in Kenna's company now that he could read her well enough to know that she didn't feel as confident as she portrayed herself to be.

Each day she had spent in Winterfell since it's recapture seemed to add to the burdens on her shoulders. The birth of her twins and Robb's confirmation of support had lifted the weight for a few days but now Kenna had sunk right back into her agitated stated.

And Robb couldn't help but wonder why.

"Am I being foolish?" Kenna suddenly asked the flames in front of her.

"Foolish?" Robb repeated unsure of what Kenna was really asking but eager to understand.

"Am I being foolish in thinking we can kill three dragons?" Kenna clarified.

_She is doubting herself,_ Robb realised.

An emotion he had never seen her hold before. An emotion he had never thought she would be capable of but as he had come to know ruling took its toll no matter who you were and he could only imagine how having children to protect in this world shifted ones focus in life.

It had almost shifted his own.

"A bit late for self-doubt," Robb leant forward in his chair and searched for Kenna's eyes, "You have already enlisted me to your cause and are set to do battle with the Mother of Dragons."

Kenna refused to meet his eyes, "Everything is in our favour, men, ships, defenses and the will of the people. But all that meant nothing when Aegon the Conquer came."

Kenna kept her eyes pinpointed on the dancing flames in front of her and all she could see was a falcon burning within them. When a falcon and a dragon both took to the sky there was only ever one expected winner.

_Have I reached too far?_ She questioned herself, knowing her future and her family's future most likely didn't rest on the strength of her armies but on the ingenuity of one man and his morbid curiosity.

It was one hell of a gamble.

Kenna prayed to the Gods that Qyburn's designs and contraptions would work and that iron could pierce Daenerys dragons' scales. She prayed that the artisans of King's Landing would build so many scorpions that their bolts would be able to blot out the sun and the only light would come from torches or dragon fire on the day Daenerys would attack King's Landing.

Kenna backed herself against any other person alive but she knew how dangerous dragons were. They were game changers.

Kenna flinched when she felt Robb's hand on her shoulder. She tore her gaze away from the now flickering fire to look directly up at Robb.

His reddish curls fell around his face which held a look of concern.

"That was then and this is now. Men have killed dragons since they came to our shores three hundred years ago and we will add to that," Robb said reassuringly as his hand unknowingly started to caress Kenna's shoulder.

"You are not the type to doubt your own plan, especially this late into it," Robb said expectantly, his eyes demanding an answer.

Kenna forced herself to look into Robb's reaching Tully blue eyes.

She had to tell him.

"I have been …. concealing another option that I think you should consider. That as your _friend_ I think you should consider. The Crown," Kenna hesitated before correcting herself, "_We_ do not need the North to fight with us, not really, we just need you-"

"To not fight against you," Robb finished taking his hand away from Kenna's shoulder.

Kenna sat apprehensively as Robb paced behind her chair, waiting for his reaction. But her nerves got the better of her.

"I am trying to give you an out here Robb, you do not need to declare for the Crown," _or me_ Kenna resisted saying, "or Daenerys Targaryen. You can do what Tywin Lannister did during Robert's Rebellion."

"I am not Tywin Lannister," Robb voice came emphatically from behind her, "I will not hide behind inaction."

Kenna fought to suppress the shiver that tingled up her spine as Robb had spoken the name of her children's father. Even here Tywin Lannister's influence could be discerned, whether that was when she visited her twins or how she calculated her next move, it was his voice that argued with her in her mind, and it was his touch that haunted her when she closed her eyes at night as much as she wished to deny it. He had left a mark on her; it wasn't visible but she felt it all the same.

"Maybe you should," Kenna replied dispelling thoughts of Tywin Lannister and thinking on the outcome of the Sacking of King's Landing.

"I am not just fighting alongside you because you promised to destroy the Lannisters with me. But because you are right, once Daenerys Targaryen has the Iron Throne she will look east at the Vale, then to the North to take away our independence. I will not forfeit the North's independence without a fight. Not after everything my family has been through."

Kenna agreed with Robb's tenacious words, "We have both lost too much to stop now."

Robb reentered Kenna's vision to drop back into his chair, with a small exhale of breath being the only outward sign of his inner exertion thinking on what could be a dynasty defining decision.

"How long till your banner-men reach Winterfell?" Kenna asked trying to move as quickly as possible into the future.

She hated staying still, especially when a threat was slowly rumbling towards her, and now her children.

"The Manderlys, the Reeds, the Mormonts, the Glovers, the Northern Mountain Clans," Robb listed off, "All fifteen-thousands of them are here and with my own men the North can field around eighteen-thousand in defense of the Realm _for you_."

"Good, I think the Knights of the Vale have spent enough time in the North."

"You don't like the North that much do you?" Robb said, observing the slight brightness that returned to her eyes on mention of her return journey.

"What is there to like? It is freezing, barren, and I hear their King is a lackwit," Kenna joked lightly as she pushed her self-free of the cozy furs.

"Amusing," Robb responded, watching Kenna's back as she swayed slightly in front of him, warming her hands against the dying fire.

He knew the root of her distaste of the North was intertwined with her sister's fate.

His father had told him the story of his Uncle Benjen and Alyssa Arryn. They had been married only a matter of weeks when on a tour of the North Kenna's sister had been ambushed by a Greyjoy raiding party on an impromptu ride alongside the coast just off Deepwood Motte starting the Greyjoy Rebellion. His Uncle Benjen had taken the Black as a direct consequence of failing to protect her, after returning from the failed rebellion.

Robb knew better than to tug any further on that string.

"Kenna," Robb said in a quiet voice, "I am glad you came North; I am glad you are here and that we are once again on the same side fighting for each other. It feels … natural."

Kenna smiled gently; it did feel good.

"Sansa will make a fine Lady of Winterfell and castellan in your absence," Kenna fiddled with the hidden blades on her wrists as her mind wandered back to the Godswood.

"I know. Since we arrived back at Winterfell, she has practically been running the place anyway."

"She could be your Hand," Kenna suggested, knowing her friend had potential to be a great ruler herself.

Robb snorted at the idea, "This is not the South."

Kenna gestured wildly with her hands to concede the point without turning around to face the seated King. After a few moments listening to the fading crackling of the fire she fiddled with the piece of paper trapped between her wrist and her hidden blade.

"I received a letter from my good-brother, it was stamped with the seal of the Hand of the King."

"Did it say anything of interest?" Robb asked already knowing that Tywin Lannister was on the move and that Tyrion would have likely been reinstated as acting Hand of the King, but it was nice to have his suspicions confirmed.

"Tyrion congratulated me on the birth of his _nephews_, asked for their names but really the intent behind the letter was to remind me that three dragons are on their way to burn everything we hold dear and that I should march my forty thousand strong army back as soon as possible. Oh and there was something about my one hundred ships as well," Kenna said sweetly, non-so subtly loving the fact that she currently commanded one of the largest military forces in Westeros, only rivaled by what the Tyrells could muster on land and sea.

"Trust a Lannister to never exactly write what they mean," Robb said and upon noting Kenna's boast, "and to revel in their own might."

Kenna's reply to Robb's slight jab was cut off as one of Robb's personal guards came barreling into the room.

"You Grace, intruders have been found inside the walls of Winterfell," the young Northman panted out.

"Where," Robb demanded as his disposition instantly switched to the authoritative King in the North.

"Near the guest chambers," came the raspy reply.

Robb quickly looked to Kenna. Her twins were there. She should be there too. But instead she was here with him, discussing the future.

Her eyes had widened in panic after hearing the guard's words and she had leapt out of her chair and pushed past the two standing men to dart through the door.

"Kenna," Robb yelled after her as he grabbed _Trident's Vengeance_ and followed the running woman's path as well as the dozen Arryn guards that followed in Kenna's wake.

* * *

Kenna sprinted through the dark corridors of Winterfell followed by her personal Arryn guards. The only thing on her mind was reaching her two sons, she didn't hear the footsteps behind her. All she could hear was the thumping of her heart as she charged through the dark pathways.

She reached the door of her chambers, it looked untouched.

She placed a hand on the door and pushed.

The door swung open to reveal a bloody mess.

The two Arryn guards that normally stood at her door had been dragged inside and butchered. Kenna didn't need to count the stab wounds to know there had been at least a dozen attackers involved in this frenzy.

A pool of blood surrounded the two shredded bodies and red foot prints decorated the stone floor.

They mainly led to her own bed chambers, where her twins should be sleeping.

Kenna hopped over her two fallen guards, nearly slipping on their still slick blood as she made her way to the door to her bed chambers.

Her hand reached for the handle but was grabbed roughly from behind.

"What were you thinking running off like that, they could have still been here," Kenna turned behind her to be face to face with an extremely pissed looking Robb who was unaware he had nearly had Kenna's blade impaled through his throat.

He shoved her behind him and the unsheathed _Trident's Vengeance_ as he forcefully pushed through the door in front of them.

A few seconds later Kenna's own guards and a few Northern men had caught up with them and were surrounding Kenna, holding her back from entering her own bed chambers.

Robb came back out of the bed chambers with a grave look on his face.

Kenna pushed through the Arryn and Stark soldiers until it was only Robb blocking her way.

"Move," she demanded.

"Kenna-" Robb said softly.

But Kenna wouldn't have it. She shoved him aside and stormed into the room.

She first saw the lifeless body of the nurse maid laid on top of her bed then her eyes snapped to the empty cot on the other side of the room.

_No,_ she screamed internally as her body sunk to the floor.

"No," she shouted as she took in the blood covered room.

White sheets were soaked crimson, the floor was spattered with red patterns, the rim of the cot was coated in one large bloody handprint.

She was only vaguely aware of Robb trying to pick her up as her mind tried to grasp what was going on.

"Who?" she muttered weakly as the reality of the situation crashed all around her.

_And where was Lord Royce?_

That was when she saw it. The gold and black of a Greyjoy flag placed where her two children should have been.

Her trance was broken when she heard Robb's voice close to her ear, "The Courtyard, they are in the Courtyard."

* * *

_A few minutes later …._

**Courtyard of Winterfell, Seat of power of House Stark, Capital of the Northern Kingdom**

* * *

_Honour's Edge_ sliced through a lunging Ironborn, cutting deep into his torso. It was a fatal wound.

Lord Royce gave the dying man no quick mercy as he switched focus from the mortally wounded man to the next Ironborn that wished to taste his Valyrian steel.

"Stop or the babes die," came a gruff voice.

Lord Royce strained his eyes in the moonlight bathed courtyard to see a dark-haired man who held a shining dagger just above one of Kenna's twins' heads.

The babe gurgled innocently in the light blue cloth it was swaddled in, not understanding the danger that hovered above it.

"Back away or I will kill it," the clear leader of the raiding party said loudly.

Lord Royce did as he was bid and waved for his men to do the same.

The Ironborn were surrounded by a wall of Arryn and North men on all sides.

"Who are you?" Lord Royce asked needing more time to assess the situation.

"I am Victorian Greyjoy," the dark-haired man yelled, causing Yohn to start fussing in his arm, "I came here for my niece," Lord Royce identified the Greyjoy heir as the woman holding Jorge, "and to kill the _Bloody Falcon_."

Yara stepped forward playfully tickling Jorge around the face, "Yes where is your mother? Mmmm I want her to see when I push my knife through your soft little throat."

In the next instant Yara let out a short cry.

"This fucking rat just bit me," she exclaimed raising her knife in anger as she looked down at the little lion cub.

_No. Stop,_ Lord Royce panicked as he saw the moonlight glint of Yara's raised blade.

"I am here," an assertive voice rang out through the Courtyard, stilling Yara's hand.

Lord Royce turned his head to see Kenna, Robb and a plethora of North and Arryn soldiers descend down the wooden stairs to join the mass below.

"Bloody Falcon," Victorian roared gaining Kenna's attention just as she reached Lord Royce.

Kenna took in the man's appearance, "You have the look of a Greyjoy."

"I am Euron's brother and I came here to avenge his death."

Kenna pursed her lips, "My children had no part in his death so let them go."

"Your children are the only thing preventing my death right now so I'd rather keep ahold of them," Victorian said looking around him at all the drawn swords pointing in his direction.

He only had ten men left, including his niece, if they fought, they would die. But he wasn't afraid of death, he just wanted Kenna to die before he did or at least kill the things she loved the most in this world.

"This is the part where we discuss a trade, a babe for a parent?" Yara deduced the natural course of the situation as her Uncle's thoughts had turned to violence.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Victorian growled to his niece.

"Making sure we leave here with our heads and what you came here for," Yara snapped back before taking a few steps away from her uncle towards Kenna.

"Trade yourself and your husband for your children," Yara said as she ignored Jorge's struggles in her arms.

Kenna looked into Yara's eyes, she wasn't bluffing, those were the eyes of a cold-blooded killer. She would kill babes in the blink of an eye.

"Fetch my husband Lord Royce," Kenna commanded, making sure no emotion could be heard in her words.

Lord Royce sent Kenna a pained look, understanding her decision. A parent would always protect their children.

"You can't hand yourself over," Robb whispered into Kenna's ear as his mind refused to let her go for a second time.

"They are my children," Kenna murmured in a subdued manner keeping her eyes on the two Greyjoys, "I will save them."

"Kenna …" Robb started but realised the futility of his future efforts. Once Kenna had made up her mind it was not easily changed and he did not have the time to try to change it now.

Kenna addressed Yara sensing she was the one with the brains in the Greyjoy family, "My husband and I will surrender to you but you will hand over my children or you will never leave Winterfell alive."

Yara nodded, looking over Kenna's shoulder to see Lord Royce pushing Jaime down the wooden stairs, it wasn't really the brats that her father wanted. He wanted revenge and gold. And he wanted to pay the iron price for them.

Jaime walked to stand beside Robb with Lord Royce shadowing his movements, "Quite the situation we have here."

"Shut up and do as you are told," Kenna hissed behind her. Now was not the time for Jaime's thinly veiled slights or childish antics.

"As you command dear wife," Jaime jested, taking in the tense atmosphere as if it was all merely a game.

Robb clapped a hand on Jaime's shoulder, "If you fuck this trade up in any way, I will chop off every remaining limb of yours and watch you bleed out on the floor at my feet."

"You are letting me go? I thought you had a soft spot for me," Jaime feigned sadness, "I will miss you Stark."

Robb contained his annoyance and shoved Jaime to Kenna, so the married couple stood side by side.

"Hand over one child and I will surrender myself," Kenna demanded.

"Come here then," Victorian said cockily.

Kenna gave Jaime a warning look before walking forward towards Victorian but Jaime saw how her lips quivered. She was scared, not for herself but for her children.

The Iron Fleet Captain flicked his wrist and a few seconds later Kenna was pushed to the ground before him with a short sword resting at her neck.

The Greyjoy smirk was unmistakable and Kenna hadn't missed it one bit as she looked up at the famed captain.

"You have me, now hand over one of my sons," Kenna growled.

There was a dozen seconds of thick tension where no one moved then Yara walked forward. She stopped halfway between the two sides and placed Jorge on the ground in his crimson blanket.

Lord Royce immediately ran over to the now screaming babe just as quickly as Yara retreated.

The old Lord scoped Jorge up in his large hands and returned to Robb and Jaime.

Jaime took his first look at his little brother. The babe blinked slowly up at him, perhaps recognizing the same green eyes in his big brother that he too possessed. However, the look of wonder turned into a frown as he searched his vision for his mother.

Jaime wanted to look away but everything was just too familiar, the way those penetrating green eyes surveyed everything in their path, the slight air of arrogance that radiated from the small bundle and the strong jaw just screamed Lannister, specifically Tywin Lannister.

"He has my eyes," Jaime muttered.

"If the Gods are good that is all he inherited from you," Robb spat.

_So, he doesn't know then,_ Jaime noted.

"Now Kingslayer, it is your turn," Yara said as she took Yohn from Victorian's grasp.

Jaime took just a second too long to move.

He heard a fierce growl from behind him, he turned to see the Stark boy's direwolf right beside its master and Jaime couldn't definitively say it was the large wolf that had growled.

Kenna's voice brought him back to the situation in hand, "Jaime," she almost pleaded from her position on the ground.

Jaime put one foot in front of the other and bridged the gap between him and his wife without looking at Yara as she passed him to place Yohn on the ground in the same spot as Jorge had been placed.

This time Robb picked up the infant as the whole of the Winterfell garrison watched.

Victorian pulled Kenna to her feet while Yara placed a sword point on Jaime's back.

"You will let us go now. If you follow us, we won't just kill her," Yara yelled pointing with her free hand at Kenna, "we will make her suffer first."

No one replied.

They all just watched behind hooded eyes as the raiding party backed out of the courtyard, untying all the horses they could find and mounting them before rushing out the open gate of Winterfell.

Robb memorized the way Kenna looked back over Victorian's shoulder at him, her hauntingly beautiful blue eyes told him that she thought this was the end for her.

Robb vowed that it wouldn't be. That history wouldn't repeat itself.

He wouldn't let it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RIP
> 
> Two Arryn Guards (Butchered to death by Victorian's covert raiding party as they tried to protect Yohn and Jorge Lannister)
> 
> They drew the short straw, outnumbered and probably overworked with the twin's screaming all night long :(
> 
> A Northern Nurse Maid (Stabbed to death by Victorian and the other raiders moments after the two Arryn guards)
> 
> Right, this one was just unfortunate, someone had to be the twin's babysitter and everyone knows babysitters have a high mortality rate, just look at what happened to Septa Mordane when she went South.
> 
> One Ironborn Raider (Killed by Lord Royce with a clean cut from Honour's Edge)
> 
> I wasn't going to let the raiding party suffer no loses but this one doesn't really matter, I grant you.


	61. The Chosen Path

* * *

_A day later …._

**Great Hall of Castle Black, The Wall, Two weeks ride from Winterfell, Seat of power of House Stark in the North, Capital of the Kingdom of the North**

* * *

"He doesn't like you very much," the Hound grunted as he stuffed a piece of bread down his throat.

"Something you both have in common then," Jon replied as he matched Commander Thorne's disapproving glare with his own.

Arya looked from her brother to the hard-nosed Targaryen loyalist currently in command of the Night's Watch. The man's eyes were clearly committing imagined violence on Jon's person and the men who surrounded him on the high table seemed to share his feelings on the matter.

Arya was sure that the only reason Thorne was indulging their requests was that he was hopefully of Robb Stark sending reinforcements to the Wall once the war was over. The Wall had always relied on the Starks of Winterfell and that wasn't going to change due to the animosity between two men.

Arya's entire body tensioned and her hand rested just above needle's pommel.

"You aren't very popular here," Arya said reading the room across the many tables.

"He is a crow that helped Wildlings. Makes him unpopular just about everywhere," Ygritte answered for Jon mirroring Arya's alertness as she shifted her position on the wooden bench.

Jon took in a deep breath, they only needed to survive the night then they would cross through the Wall and be on their way.

Suddenly Jon felt hands clasp around his shoulders, he institutively pushed backwards and jumped from the bench he had been sitting on fully ready to smash the aggressor with his raised fists.

He never threw the first punch.

"Grenn?" Jon said slightly shocked to see his friend.

"You haven't seen me for months and the first thing you want to do is try to bash me head in?" Grenn joked heartily while leaving his arms outstretched.

Jon laughed then embraced his friend in a deep hug, "I thought the First Ranger would be beyond the Wall."

"I will be soon," Grenn replied with a wide grin on his face.

Jon sent him a baffled look.

"I am coming with you, you idiot."

"You want to join me in hunting down White Walkers?" Jon asked slowly.

"No," Grenn said still smiling brightly, "As First Ranger I want to make sure the brother of the King in the North doesn't get himself killed beyond the Wall. Wouldn't bode well for the future relations between Winterfell and the Wall."

Jon returned Grenn's smile, having missed his friends' gruff humour.

"Where is Sam?" Jon asked with slight concern lacing his words. He hadn't seen the Tarly man since he had reached the Wall.

A dark cloud passed over Grenn's face, "He is with Maester Aemon in his quarters. The old man is dying and Sam doesn't want him to be alone."

Jon nodded then immediately departed the room in search of his friend and old mentor.

Grenn and the rest of the table watched as Jon practically ran from the room.

Grenn clapped his hands as he sat in Jon's place between the Hound and Arya, "I am Grenn the Giantslayer, want to know why people call me that?"

* * *

"Where is it? … Egg where is Joramun's horn? Must go South … must get to the prince that was promised ….. she is coming …"

_What,_ thought Sam as he hovered above the old Maester. The dying man was mumbling in his stupor, nothing made sense.

"How is he?" a deep voice asked.

Sam nearly fell off the stool he was sitting at as he turned to identify the intruder.

"Jon," Sam exclaimed and calmed his beating heart.

The next thing the Stark heir knew Sam had pulled him into a bear hug that seeped into his bones.

"I am glad you are here," Sam said as he turned back to check on Maester Aemon who was still mumbling in his sleep with beads of sweat running down his forehead.

"He doesn't have long," Sam said in a quiet voice, "and he always liked you."

"He liked you too," Jon said as he pulled up a stool to sit beside Sam, "What is he saying?"

"A few minutes ago, he was muttering about an Egg and someone called Duncan," Sam said with sadness etched in his words, "now he keeps going on about a horn. At least that is what I can make out."

"A horn?" Jon questioned but who was he to dictate what a dying man should mutter about in their last moments.

"Yes and once Maester Aemon is .. gone I am to travel to the Citadel in Old Town to begin my studies to become the new Maester at the Wall."

Jon looked at the peaceful face of Aemon Targaryen, this wasn't the face of a dying man surely?

"That is great news Sam. You wanted to be a Maester and it gets you away from Thorne for a while."

"I don't want to replace him," Sam said averting his eyes from the frail old man before him.

"Everyone _dies_ someday and everyone is _replaceable_. Most aren't lucky enough to die of old age."

Sam didn't reply as both used the ensuing silence to concentrate on the rasping breaths their old mentor was taking.

Each shallow breath was taking him closer to death's door and they both knew it but as fellow brothers of the Night's Watch it was their duty to see their brother depart from this world.

Maester Aemon's chest rose and fell until it didn't anymore. There was no spluttering of a final breath, no last gigantic gasp for air, and no cry of pain.

The Old Dragon simply faded away.

* * *

_A few days later …_

**The Hand's Study, Tower of the Hand, Red Keep, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister/Tyrell) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms**

* * *

Olenna sat opposite Tyrion tapping the ends of the chair with her fingers as she was prone to do when feeling impatient.

"Lady Olenna thank you for meeting with me," Tyrion started knowing he wasn't in for an easy conversation.

"Yes yes, I wasted quite enough of my limited time walking up all those stairs let's not have me waste any more time enduring your attempt at politeness."

Tyrion straightened himself in his chair as he fixed his green eyes on Olenna's unwavering ones.

"Very well I received a letter from my father which contains some tasks for me to carry out."

Olenna half threw her hands into the air, "Good for you, how is this my concern?"

"Because one of those tasks was to give you this letter," Tyrion said searching his desk then pushing the sealed letter towards the edge of the desk.

Olenna eyes scrutinized the letter. The red seal of the Hand of the King proudly dominated the rolled up white paper and remained _unbroken_.

But looks could be deceiving.

"You didn't take a peek?" Olenna asked slyly.

"Of course not. My father addressed the letter to you," Tyrion said feigning shock at the implication.

Olenna let out a throaty chuckle, "You are a better liar than your sister I'll give you that but we both know my eyes won't be the first to have read the words your father will have written so why don't you summarize them for an old woman?"

Tyrion only hesitated for a moment then dropped his innocence act.

"My father would like you to instruct Paxter Redwyne to set sail with his fleet for the Iron Islands."

"That would be a declaration of war on the Iron Islands. Why would I do that?"

"A reason other than because my father asked?" At Olenna's annoyed look, Tyrion added, "It appears my brother and good-sister were captured by Victorian Greyjoy in a raid on Winterfell a week ago. Obviously, their continued imprisonment isn't ideal."

"Ideal no but hardly a real problem for us," Olenna said.

"Hardly a real problem," Tyrion repeated sarcastically, "My Lady, without Queen Kenna the Arryn force won't fight for us and I highly suspect neither will the North. Lord Royce and King Robb will attack the Iron Islands with or without our help. Since _we_ are in an alliance which we need, I think it would be prudent to send troops and ships."

"Whether we get their support or not won't matter if we can't kill Daenerys Targaryen's dragons," Olenna thundered with vigor Tyrion had only glimpsed so far in the Queen of Thornes, "More men will just be more wood for the fire to burn."

"Maybe but those dragons are coming and there is nothing we can do to stop that now but we can continue to gather us much support against a Targaryen monarch returning to the Iron Throne as possible. Daenerys Targaryen hasn't shown any signs of movement from Meereen yet so we should use this time to consolidate our forces."

"You mean rescue Queen Kenna and your brother," Olenna interjected seeing through Tyrion's pretty words, "I see your reasoning that the Greyjoys are the problem of today and that the Targaryen girl is the problem of tomorrow but rarely does such reactionary thinking ever win the war."

Tyrion was about to rephrase what he had said in lieu of Olenna's warning that had been crudely wrapped up in the disguise of advice giving but then the doors to the Hand's study chamber were flung opened. A second later a young blond servant came in, followed by an odd-looking man.

"Lord Hand, Lady Olenna this is Grand Maester Qyburn of Queen Kenna's High Council," the nervous looking servant announced.

Tyrion waved the servant off as he took in as much as possible about the new arrival. He wore plain brown robes and a thin rope tied it to his slight frame. His face wore a pleasant disposition that was oddly disarming and also dangerous at the same time.

"Queen Kenna sent me here so that I may prepare King's Landing to face three adult dragons," Qyburn's kindly voice hummed through the study.

"You don't say," Tyrion said firing a smarmy look at Olenna.

"He doesn't even have a chain," Olenna said in a disbelieving tone.

"I do not have a chain but I have schematics for a scorpion that should be able to pierce dragon hide," Qyburn said revealing a long rolled up piece of paper behind his back.

"Well show us then," Tyrion demanded, getting excited.

Qyburn moved to the desk that separated Olenna and Tyrion and unrolled the large piece of paper onto the surface. It had various drawings and schematics on it which immediately captured Tyrion's attention and even had the Queen of Thorns leaning in.

Olenna's eyes drifted over the multiple lines and she quickly made up her mind that she wasn't going to understand it.

"Will it work?" she asked expectantly.

"This," Qyburn said tapping the paper, "is capable of killing a dragon if it hits the target."

"Well then, I suggest we make as many as possible then pray the bolts hits their target before the entirety of King's Landing can be set on fire," Olenna said looking between the men.

Now they were getting somewhere.

* * *

_A few days later …_

**The Great Pyramid, Meereen, Slavers Bay, South Essos**

* * *

"You stand in the presence of Daenerys of the House Targaryen, the First of Her Name, The Unburnt, Queen of the Andals and the First Men, Queen of Meereen, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Protector of the Realm, Lady Regent of the Seven Kingdoms, Breaker of Chains and Mother of Dragons," a colorfully dressed woman with frizzy black hair announced while standing beside a dull looking man who had a replica of the Hand of the King pin attached to the lapels of his tunic.

"You may approach," the speaker said clearly, not moving from her post beside Daenerys's chosen Hand.

Oberyn watched with amazement at how the dark-skinned beauty had managed to say all those titles without taking a single breath.

"Should I be getting jealous?" Ellaria asked playfully by Oberyn's side.

"You don't get jealous," Oberyn replied placing a kiss on his paramour's hand, "I was thinking how good she would look in our bed."

"Do you ever thing about anything else?" Cersei whispered as all three of them walked towards the Dragon Queen.

"Not if I can help it," Oberyn winked back at Cersei who walked on his other side. He could tell she was apprehensive by the way she kept fiddling where her golden trimmed sleeves and occasionally touching the scar on her face.

All three stopped respectfully before the throne and gave short bows.

A line of unsullied solider lead by Ser Barristan Selmy blocked their path to the Dragon Queen's throne.

Cersei saw no resentment in the old knights' eyes as he watched her movements. He seemed to be exactly where he wanted to be, protecting a ruler.

"Queen Daenerys allow me to introduce myself, I am Prince Oberyn of Dorne. These two lovely ladies accompanying me are Ellaria Sand and-"

"Cersei Lannister," Daenerys's authoritative voice rang out, "Lord Varys has spoken much about you."

Cersei matched Daenerys's firm stare with ease. She had endured many a hateful look. One more was just a drop in the ocean. It was almost comforting.

"Queen Daenerys," Cersei said flicking her eyes to the familiar face of the former Master of Whispers that sat to Daenerys's right.

Varys smiled politely right back at his former Queen.

"I have heard stories on how your house turned on mine during Robert's Rebellion and on how you gave your husband three bastards by your own brother," Daenerys's loudly proclaimed from her elevated position on her throne then eyes Cersei's significant bump, "soon to be four I suspect."

"I am not here to talk about the past," Cersei said through clenched teeth and stopping her hand from sliding to her protruding stomach, she wasn't use to having to take insults in silence.

"The future is all that matters," a new deep but seductive voice echoed around the room, "and it is bathed in fire and ice."

All heads turned to see a woman clad in a red robe striding towards the Dragon Queen.

Ser Barristan and the line of unsullied soldiers didn't attempt to stop the woman as she passed through them to stand next to Daenerys's Hand but Cersei noticed how Vary's face darkened with the entrance of the tall, pale skinned woman.

_Stannis's red priestess of R'hollor,_ Cersei realised, _What is she doing here?_

"All three of us come here as representatives of Dorne and seek to discuss the future invasion of the Seven Kingdoms with you," Oberyn said loudly trying to steer the conversation back on track.

_Doran would be so proud,_ Oberyn smirked in his head.

Daenerys pursed her lips, "We will speak Prince Oberyn but you must be weary from your travels. Missandei show them to their chambers so that they may rest."

The speaker nodded understanding her Queen wanted time away from the new guests in her court, "Please follow me."

A dozen unsullied also accompanied them as they were escorted away from the throne room no doubt so Daenerys could confer with her advisors.

"This is going to be fun," Oberyn murmured, looking behind him as the doors closed his vision off to the silver haired Queen.

* * *

_Two weeks later …._

**On deck of Victorian's ship the ** _ **Iron Victory** _ **, Fishing Village, Stoney Shores, West shoreline of the North**

* * *

Kenna and Jaime didn't resist as they were cajoled across the still burning remains of the small fishing village.

Kenna nearly tripped over the mud-covered dead body of a boy not old enough to have grown his own beard. The only thing that stopped her from slipping to the floor was Jaime's hand on her arm.

Kenna righted herself and stepped over the body before she was pushed over it by the Greyjoy raiders behind them.

"Thank you," Kenna said quietly avoiding the image of the dead boy in her head and how the face morphed into Arty's in her mind's eye.

Instead she focused on the thick rope that entangled her hands then moved her gaze to the free hand of her husband that was still firmly gripping her arm as they marched towards the sea front.

It seemed a disarmed one-handed man no matter who he was wasn't considered a threat to Ironborn raiders.

"Your welcome," Jaime said gazing ahead of them into the waiting Greyjoy fleet that consisted of near a dozen longboats and a few galleys.

No more words were exchanged as the hostages were shoved onboard a longboat that brought them to the biggest ship afloat.

A few Ironborn pulled Jaime and Kenna aboard then proceeded to tied them to the mast of the ship so that they were facing opposite directions, Kenna towards the bow and Jaime towards the back of the impressive looking ship.

Kenna saw Yara engage with a scruffy looking man near the helm of the ship but her musings on who the long grey-haired man were cut short as Victorian entered her field of vision.

"Bloody Falcon," he drawled as if savouring the moment, "How I have imaged having you tied up before me."

Kenna tensed at the obvious salacious intent in the Greyjoy Captains words but the rope was strong and kept her wrists clapped to the mast by her sides. All she could do was glare defiantly back at the triumphant man.

"Smart," came Jaime's charming voice from behind Kenna.

"What was that Kingslayer?" Victorian circled around the mast to confront Jaime, having switched his attention from the wife to the husband.

"I said it was smart going North instead of South. Robb Stark would have presumed your destination was Torrhen's Square or perhaps Moat Cailin."

Kenna heard the smack of a punch landing on its target, "I don't need you to tell me I am smart Kingslayer."

Kenna heard Jaime utter a quiet grunt of pain as Victorian walked back into her line of vision but his focus was on his niece who now stood alone at the helm.

"Release the sails and let us return back to Pyke with our prizes," Victorian shouted then let out a roar of victory. After a second so too did the rest of the crew join in the shout of triumph.

"Where were we," Victorian said swivelling around on the spot to face Kenna again as his men ran around the ship getting it ready to set sail for deeper waters.

Kenna remained silent as Victorian closed the gap between them resting his hands either side of her shoulders that were pressed against the wooden mast of the _Iron Victory._

Kenna bristled at the vulnerability of her position; she still had her hidden blades but her wrists were trapped behind the rope that pinned her at her stomach as well.

She was totally defenceless.

Victorian's hand suddenly grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him, "Euron said your sister was a bad fuck maybe you will be better. If you are good enough for the Kingslayer then perhaps you are good enough for me."

Kenna's mind tried to remain calm but she knew what was coming. She had been playing this game too long not to know the consequences of capture to such a man.

No amount of mental preparation could stop her flinching as Victorian's hand grope her sex through the folds of her dress.

Victorian saw the unwanted expression of fear on Kenna's face and he relished it. He drank in the sense of total control he now had over one of his family's greatest enemies.

"Leave her," a croaky voice called out from behind Kenna.

Victorian didn't relinquish his hold on Kenna, "And why would I do that?"

"Because Brother," the gruff grey-haired man that Kenna had seen speaking to Yara walked to stand right next to Kenna and Victorian so his head was in-between them, "It is Balon, not you that will decide the Bloody Falcon's punishment."

"Is that the Drowned Gods will?" Victorian asked slowly removing his hand from Kenna's person and turning to face his brother, "or is it your will Areon?"

"Areon Greyjoy doesn't exist anymore, only Damphair," the youngest Greyjoy brother stated gravely.

"I can wait a few more weeks for my fun, Balon won't be greedy in his punishments," Victorian sent a look of pure excitement at Kenna, "We have been thinking of what we were going to do to you for over a decade now and believe me we are not short on ideas."

Kenna gulped knowing first hand that a sibling's rage was vast and unrelenting. She had lost a sister and they had lost a brother.

Victorian stomped over to the helm of _Iron Victory_ and took charge of the ship from Yara who didn't look too happy to give up command.

Areon Greyjoy or Damphair continued to stare intensely at Kenna as if contemplating what her existence on this ship meant for him.

Kenna didn't interrupt the sea swept man's thoughts, she suspected that he had just saved her from a very unsavoury experience so as far as she was concerned, he could stare at her all he liked.

After a few more seconds of deep concentration the final Greyjoy brother turned on his heels and walked to the rear of the ship.

Kenna closed her eyes as she felt the wind of the ocean whipped around her face. Normally such a sensation would inspire a sense of adventure but in this moment all she felt was impending doom.

But she was no coward.

Kenna opened her eyes and observed how the crew obeyed Victorian's barked orders, how Yara sulked around the helm opening and closing her mouth, and how the man known as Damphair leaned on the railing of the _Iron Victory_, presumable staring into the watery abyss that now surrounded them.

Kenna lifted her head upwards in exhaustion. What she saw was a little ray of hope riding on the wind above the open sail of the _Iron Victory_.

Balerion was dancing above her, in the cold blue sky.

He was following her and Kenna took comfort in that fact.

* * *

Same day _…_

**The Bridge, the Twins, Northern Riverlands**

* * *

Robb waited patiently in the biting cold wind as it swept under and over the bridge that connected the Twins mirroring the rushing of the Trident beneath his feet.

Lord Royce stood beside him as a mix of Arryn and Northmen flanked them on the wide bridge.

"How do we know this isn't an ambush," Robb asked puffing out a hot breath that mingled with the cold air.

"Because Tywin Lannister wants to destroy the Greyjoys just as much as we want to," Lord Royce stated with certainty.

"Why? It isn't like he wanted his son back when Kenna had him as a hostage," Robb grumbled shuffling his feet in the cold.

"He wasn't technically a hostage but a husband," Lord Royce replied tersely, growing frustrated with the cold wait.

"But now it is clear that his son is a hostage he can't afford to look weak," Robb drawled annoyed at the political game that was still being played despite the impending threat of a fiery death looming on the horizon.

"I know we need_ his_ help getting Kenna back but I hate Lannisters and that will never change," Robb practically growled.

"Me too," Lord Royce replied thinking on the twin's parentage and surprising Robb with the venom in his words, "So the sooner we get her back and win this war against the Dragon Queen the faster we can return to doing what we want, making Lannisters pay for their crimes."

"You make it sound so easy."

"Oh, I know it won't be," Lord Royce admitted in a solemn voice, "I just wanted you to know that we are both on the same page. That the Falcons of the Vale and the Wolves of the North will always be natural allies, against the Kraken, against the Dragon, against the Lion. We will stand together and we will survive."

Robb nodded at the elder Lord's composed words before tuning into the crashing sound of the roaring river below him, ignoring the glaring obvious point that Kenna was by law no longer a Falcon and she now had little lion cubs to look after. Little lion cubs that were now in Winterfell under Sansa's care.

The Twins was not a place Robb wanted to stay in for too long. Painful memories lingered here. But it was a perfect meeting point for those wishing to come together and launch an attack on the Iron Islands.

He briefly wondered where Kenna had fallen from on that bloody night of weddings as his mind remembered how Kenna had joked that the Stranger hadn't been ready to accept her on the day she had battled with the icy waters of the Trident.

Unfortunately, the Stranger had been more than happy to accept his mother, wife, unborn child and half his army on that very same day and it had all happened at the behest of the man currently striding towards him surrounded by a circle of Lannister guards.

Tywin Lannister, the Old Lion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RIP
> 
> Maester Aemon (Died of old age in his bed babbling about Eggs, Duncans, horns and Princes)
> 
> Another Targaryen leaves the world of Westeros just as another is about to arrive …. but remarkable Aemon leaves it on his own accord, not struck down by another's hand which is rare so well done Maester Aemon. A significant death up at the Wall as it is the trigger for Sam travelling South to Old Town and let's just say his dying words aren't meaningless ;P


	62. The Toll

* * *

_A few moments later…._

**The Bridge, the Twins, Northern Riverlands**

* * *

"Lord Lannister," Robb greeted through grating teeth, holding back the desire to run at the taller man and plunge his sword through his chest.

"King Robb, Lord Royce," Tywin returned watching the two men closely before walking to the front of his guard.

Lord Royce and Robb came together and stood a few metres from the imposing Western Lord, mirroring his position in front of his red clad men with their own.

"We need to talk," Tywin said authoritatively, understanding why this meeting had been called and why he had attend.

"The Ironborn took Ser Jaime and Queen Kenna from Winterfell a few weeks ago, most likely they are at Pyke by now," Lord Royce started.

Tywin flicked his golden flecked eyes so they locked onto Robb's bright blue ones, "And whose fault is that?"

Lord Royce, sensing Robb's outburst before it came, quickly interjected, "Queen Kenna and your son traded their lives so that your _grandchildren_ could live."

Tywin picking up on the emphasis Lord Royce had put on the word grandchildren, narrowed his eyes at the fellow Lord, "A sign of good parents but poor strategy."

"You are talking about your own grandchildren. You are a heartless bastard, aren't you?" Robb finally managed to spit out.

"I am a practical man; a mother can always have more children," Tywin said coldly, secretly hiding his relief that his new-born sons were still alive behind his renowned mask of stone.

"Yes, you were very _practical_ when you encouraged the Frey's to betray their liege Lord and slaughter my men and family in this very castle," Robb roared, barely containing his fury, his clenched fist hovering close to the pommel of his sword.

Tywin's eyes twinkled as he took in the simmering rage of the Northman before him, "So, you agree with me that it was a better tactic to kill the leadership of the Northern rebellion in one night than let many thousands of soldiers suffer over months in a needless war."

"You wouldn't have won in battle against me so your only option to win the war was by dishonourable means," Robb snarled back.

"Perhaps," Tywin entertained the possibility before his gleaming eyes bore into Robb's once more, "but I did win the war didn't I."

"Enough," Lord Royce boomed, causing some soldiers from both sides to reach for their weapons, "We are not here to squabble over past deeds. We need to come together to destroy the Greyjoys and get Queen Kenna back."

"And my son," Tywin said his jaw tightening at Lord Royce's omission.

"Fine," Robb shot out as he removed his hand from the hilt of his sword, "We have a combined force of over seventy thousand men so we should be able to easily crush the Ironborn raiders."

"Fighting on land isn't the problem," Lord Royce said taking a step towards Tywin in strategic thought, "It is getting our men to Pyke which might prove problematic."

"A problem I have already solved," Tywin announced, "Paxter Redwyne and his two hundred ships are mustering at Old Town harbour. It is a formidable fleet and should be able to take on the Iron Fleet."

"Lord Grafton is in command of the Arryn and Golden Company ships. I sent word to him to sail to Pyke as soon as we lost Queen Kenna and Ser Jaime," Lord Royce revealed.

Tywin nodded appreciatively at this piece of news, "The Redwyne Fleet and your ships can combine at Old Town. The Lannister ships at Lannisport can also join. That armada will be enough to clear the pathway to Pyke for our armies."

Robb brushed a hand through his growing beard but avoided the scar that was lurking beneath his newly grown facial hair, "And how long will it take for all these ships to consolidate into one moveable fleet, destroy the Iron Fleet then transport our armies to Pyke?"

"It takes roughly a week to sail to Pyke from Old Town, then maybe the sea battle will take a few days to conclude, and I can see it taking another week to transport the men and complete a siege of Pyke," Lord Royce calculated.

"Surely faced with these odds Balon will surrender and hand over Kenna and Jaime to avoid total destruction?" Robb commented.

"Balon Greyjoy is a stubborn and stupid man or he would have learnt from his last rebellion. He won't consider surrender until we have our sword against his throat," Tywin said in a tone indicating he had no love for the Ironborn.

"Balon sounds like a man that would simply execute his hostages in the face of defeat not negotiate with them," Robb said with worry written all over his face.

Both Lord Royce and Tywin remained quiet.

"Lord Royce?" Robb pushed but Tywin answered.

"What Lord Royce doesn't want to say out loud it that there is a very low chance that Queen Kenna and my son will make it out of Pyke alive."

"Then why are we even sieging Pyke?" Robb said incredulously waving his arms in frustration.

"Because when the Dragon Queen comes, we do not want to be fighting on two fronts with the Greyjoy's harassing us from the West, raiding our towns, cutting off our supply lines and destroying our crops. We need to eliminate them before Daenerys Targaryen reaches Westeros," Tywin said focusing all his attention on the young King, "and I would have thought you over anyone would understand that."

"I understand," Robb half yelled as he closed the space between himself and the Lion Lord, "but my priority is to save _her _life."

"Do you owe Queen Kenna a debt?" Tywin needled wanting to identify where this saviour complex was coming from.

"She is my ally and friend. _In the North_ we try to save our friends," Robb replied with near literal venom in his words.

"A noble goal," Tywin said but felt there was more emotion behind the young King's words than there ought to be for a mere friendship and it irked him, "Just like marrying for love is."

Robb's eyes snapped to Lord Tywin's at the not so subtle insult at his past tactical mistake in breaking his oath to Walder Frey.

The King in the North raised a pointed finger that was trembling with rage, "The only reason I am not ripping your throat out right now is because I promised to fight alongside Queen Kenna against the Dragon Queen's invasion. If she dies so too does my promise."

"You would relinquish Northern Independence so easily?"

"I would do what is best for my people."

"And what is best for your people is dependent on whether Kenna Lannister lives or dies? I didn't know she had such influence in the North or is her influence just over the King in the North?" Tywin continued to jab at Robb's sensitive heart.

Lord Royce tired of the argumentative nature of the two men in front of him took out his sword, which caused everyone on the bridge to unsheathe their weapons.

Tywin quickly jumped away from Robb while his men rushed forward to cover him while Robb retreated to his own men.

"Lord Royce, what are you doing?" Robb whispered frantically over to the older man; he had clearly not anticipated having to actually fight on the bridge.

"I am making a point," Royce replied to the younger man.

"What are you playing at?" Tywin shouted across the windy bridge.

"I could ask the same of you?" Lord Royce yelled back, "If all we are going to do is argue among ourselves and antagonise each other over our past actions, we might as well just fight each other now and let the Dragon Queen have whatever is left because if we do not work together now we will not win this coming war."

Tywin looked over at the still fuming King in the North, at least his combative behaviour could be excusable by his youth. Tywin had no such excuse and he knew his provoking words had come from a place of possessiveness over the mother of his children rather than of protectiveness for his son's wife.

Although it rankled at his pride Tywin lowered his sword, "You are right Lord Royce. If we do not cooperate now, we are all doomed in one way or another."

Lord Royce and Robb sheathed their swords and their action was followed by multiple hissing sounds indicating that everyone's on the bridge had followed their lieges' actions.

"Shall we continue?" Lord Royce asked in a neutral tone.

Tywin and Robb nodded and the three men once again converged on the grand bridge, albeit much more cautiously than they had before.

* * *

"I have a suggestion."

"Go ahead," Lord Royce beckoned Robb.

"Once the fleets have merged at Old Town have them sail directly to Seagard to pick the armies up then sail onto Pyke. It would lessen the time it takes to start the siege and would catch Balon off guard."

"Yes, but a fleet transporting so many men is much more vulnerable than one that isn't," Tywin remarked, "and you are assuming that the Iron Fleet won't simply engage our combined fleet as soon as it gets close to the Iron Islands."

"Considering his mistakes during the Greyjoy Rebellion I don't think Victorian will want to engage fully-"

"You think he will favour quick attacks followed by swift retreats to pick off the strangling ships and whittle down out ship numbers," Lord Royce interrupted, intrigued by Robb's thought.

"Yes," Robb confirmed, "To combat this I think we should get our armies to Pyke as soon as possible and siege it. Victorian would have no choice then but to fully engage and commit his men and ships to a proper battle which he will lose due to our superior numbers."

"I agree."

Lord Royce and Robb both looked to Tywin with expressions of slight shock. A Lannister agreeing with a Stark was a very rare thing.

"Time is a factor in this siege," Tywin said between the two men, "If we want a chance at rescuing my son and his wife, we need to surprise Balon and we need to get to King's Landing as soon as possible to best prepare for the Dragon Queen's invasion."

"So, we are all agreed?" Lord Royce probed.

Both Stark and Lannister man nodded.

"I will send the raven to Lord Grafton notifying him of our plans then," Lord Royce huffed creating a small cloud of steam before his face.

"I will do the same with Paxter Redwyne," Tywin declared as he turned back towards his men, "I will see you both in Seagard."

Lord Royce and Robb watched the Warden of the West walk away from them.

"I will cooperate and fight alongside him for Kenna's sake but one day I will kill him for what he did to my mother and Talisa," Robb said fiercely to Lord Royce.

Lord Royce just nodded slightly, not doubting the young King's conviction but wondering what his Queen's opinion would be on the matter.

* * *

_Same day …_

**The Great Pyramid, Meereen, Slavers Bay, South Essos**

* * *

"Your Grace, Lady Cersei, Lord Oberyn and his paramour Ellaria Sand," Missandei announced.

"It is actually Prince Oberyn," the charming Dornish man corrected confidently as he strode towards the sitting Dragon Queen.

The Unsullied guards bluntly stopped his advance, crossing their spears before he could reach the steps leading the Great Pyramid's throne chair. Oberyn could see the famed knight Ser Barristan the Bold sitting on one of the steps watching his movements keenly as one of his hands rested on the pommel of his sword. Lord Varys was standing beside Jorah Mormont, talking to him in soft tones that did not travel far, with his hands tucked into his sleeves.

Cersei and Ellaria settled behind Oberyn as Jorah Mormont walked a few steps to whisper something into Daenerys's ear.

"_Prince_ Oberyn," Daenerys politely started as her Hand stepped away from her, "Are you here to request something of me?"

The tanned man laughed good naturedly and his rich baritones bounced around the walls.

"We are in an alliance no? An alliance to put you on the Iron Throne of Westeros," Oberyn paused for effect, "Yet you are still in Meereen, in Essos. Why is that?"

"I cannot leave Meereen when as soon as I do it will fall to the rule of the Master's again."

"These are not your people," Oberyn brazenly pointed out, "Your people are in Westeros fighting for your rule while you sit here listening to the squabbles of a city that doesn't want you."

"Careful Prince Oberyn. You are talking to the Queen," Jorah warned from beside Daenerys.

"I do not mean to be distasteful but if you do not return to Westeros soon you may find that all your allies will have been crushed in your absence while you play at ruling here."

Daenerys stood from her throne and walked down to Prince Oberyn so only the spears of her loyal Unsullied separated them causing Barristan to stand up and hover next to his Queen protectively.

"You talk of being my ally yet you arrive here with one of my enemies," Daenerys said accusingly looking over Oberyn's shoulder to Cersei.

Oberyn looked back at Cersei before refocusing on the silver haired Queen, "Cersei Lannister doesn't stand before you as an enemy but as an ally."

"Her son sits on the very throne I wish to take," Daenerys exclaimed her eyes drilling into Oberyn's.

"He will stand down when faced with the might of your armies and your dragons," Cersei cut into the staring contest, "and all I ask is that you spare him. He is just a child. Spare him and let him bend the knee to you as Lord of Casterly Rock. He will not oppose you."

"He is opposing me this very minute by calling himself King of the Seven Kingdoms," Daenerys snapped back, her purple eyes shimmering with fury.

"It isn't him. The power behind the throne isn't Tommen it is my father, Olenna Tyrell and Kenna Arryn."

"When I return to Westeros, I will take back the Iron Throne and my dragons will burn anyone that gets in my way," Daenerys said with conviction that comes with true belief, "including your father."

"Good," Cersei stated and at Daenerys's suspicious look she elaborated, "my father killed my first born, Joffrey, and I suspect Olenna Tyrell and Kenna Arryn of having a hand in it too."

"You are after revenge for your son then," Daenerys deduced, "but what of your brothers? Jaime Lannister? I will not spare him. He killed my father, his King that he was sworn to protect and your other brother is currently Hand to Tommen."

"Jaime abandoned me," Cersei said trying to hide the wobble in her voice but Oberyn caught it, "He is with his wife now."

"Kenna Arryn," Oberyn helpfully filled in for Daenerys.

"And Tyrion killed my mother. I will not mourn their passing," Cersei announced harshly, trying to avoid thinking about how exactly Tyrion had killed their mother since she was close to giving birth herself.

"If she is married to Jaime Lannister isn't, she Kenna Lannister?" Daenerys asked.

"Depends on your view of what a true marriage is," Oberyn replied mischievously to the young Queen who didn't really understand what he had meant but Cersei's eyes darkened at his remark, knowing the real meaning behind his cunning words and leading her to think back to her father again.

Daenerys gave both Oberyn and Cersei a sweeping glance before ascending back up the steps to her throne and sitting down.

"Once I have dealt with the Sons of the Harpy and secured a truce with the Masters of Astapor and Yunkai we will set sail for Westeros and I will reclaim my family's throne. If Tommen surrenders, I will consider his future as you have requested Lady Cersei but I will not spare your father or brothers."

The tone in which the words had been spoken indicated the finality of them and Oberyn accepted them knowing he had pushed his luck with the Dragon Queen far enough for one day.

The sun kissed Prince bowed then captured Ellaria's arm on the way out. Cersei lingered a moment longer returning Daenerys gaze before following the Dornish couple out the chamber.

* * *

_A few days later …._

**Tied to the mast of Victorian's ship the _Iron Victory_, West of the North coastline in the Sunset Sea**

* * *

Kenna resisted the urge to lick her dried lips as she imagined herself back in the Eyrie practicing her archery while Lord Royce looked on. The feel of the smooth wood in her hand, the ping sound of the string vibrating by her ear and the satisfying thud that came when hitting the circular target.

Her imagined world came tumbling down as Jaime's voice invaded her fantasy and drove her back to reality.

"How bad is this going to be?" her husband asked in a middling tone.

Kenna took a moment to open her eyes and accept the various noises of a sailing ship back into her mind.

"You were there when I butchered Euron, weren't you?" Kenna adorned in a way you would a child that asks a question they already know the answer to.

"Yes, but that was a long time ago," Jaime said twisting his head as far round the mast as the rope around his waist and legs would allow.

Kenna copied his movement so their heads where as close as they could be to avoid any of the Ironborn crew overhearing them.

"It was fifteen years ago," Kenna confirmed as she tried to catch Jaime's eyes but couldn't turn her head far enough round the mast, "You and I know people who have held deadly grudges for longer than that."

"If you are referring to my sister, you are wrong. She would have murdered the person before letting it go fifteen years," Jaime said with a small chuckle at the thought of his sister letting a slight go unanswered for so long.

"I was talking about Oberyn and your father," Kenna replied with a hint of annoyance with Jaime's light tone.

Before Jaime could retort Kenna let out a low groan of frustration.

"What?" Jaime inquired looking around them to see if his wife's small outburst had caught any unwanted attention but he didn't see anyone looking their way.

The crew were all too busy carrying out Victorian's bellowed orders and Yara's clandestine ones.

"My wrists are too tightly tied. I can't cut through the rope."

_She has her hidden blades, of course she does,_ Jaime thought whimsically before turning his military mind to the situation, "Why in the Gods name are you trying to cut through these ropes? You see we are vastly outnumbered and weaponless. There is no point in escaping in this situation."

"My plan wasn't to fight and hijack this ship," Kenna said ominously.

"What .. you planned to jump overboard and swim back to the North?" Jaime said mocking her, knowing they were closer to the Iron Islands now than they were to the shores of the North.

"You are an idiot," Kenna declared fiercely in a low tone, "I was planning on jumping overboard and letting the sea have me."

Jaime straightened his head and flicked the roof of his mouth with his tongue as he digested what Kenna was suggesting.

"You are afraid of Balon that much?" he probed.

Kenna let out a condescending sigh, "Being a captive as a woman is very different prospect from being one as a man, especially when you stabbed your jailor's brother to death for rapping your sister."

"I lost a hand while in captivity," Jaime reminded Kenna suddenly turning serious at the memory.

"If I thought Balon was only going to cut my hand off I wouldn't be contemplating suicide," Kenna coldly pointed out.

"Regardless, I don't particularly like your plan dear _wife_," Jaime settled on not knowing how to really response to Kenna's dower prediction of her future.

"I don't recall hearing your plan and I didn't say you had to follow me," Kenna said smarmily, trying to enjoy perhaps her last chance at jesting with the Kingslayer before throwing herself overboard.

"I have another suggestion," Jaime said meekly as if he was still thinking it through, "Why go down without causing any damage?"

"What are you talking on about?" Kenna said resuming trying to cut thought the thick rope.

"Why not wait until you are close to Balon or Victorian then strike with your blades. That way you go down having taken another Greyjoy from this world," Jaime said playing on his wife's more vicious side.

Kenna held the prepared insult that was rolling around on her tongue and inspected Jaime's alternative plan in her head.

If she was quick about it, she could take out another Greyjoy brother then end her life before a guard could reach her. She would have the element of surprise.

"Not a bad plan," Kenna muttered quietly.

"What was that?" Jaime shot back in a smug voice.

"Fuck off," Kenna retorted knowing Jaime's face would be creased into a massive grin.

"I'll take that as confirmation that you aren't going for an afternoon dip in the Sunset Sea," Jaime said triumphantly.

When Kenna didn't response Jaime took that as another personal victory but the smile that graced his handsome face slipped away and was replaced with a great sense of foreboding as he noticed the bleak cluster of land mass known as the Iron Islands appeared on the horizon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Notes
> 
> How did you think the first meeting between Tywin and Robb went? No way the Red Weddings was not going to be mentioned and Lord Royce had to play a little at being peace maker but they all agreed in the end.
> 
> Oberyn and Cersei don't appear to be making much progress with the Mother of Dragons :(
> 
> I think the Kenna Jaime banter relationship is growing on me :P Although I think he was kind of sensible in the ship scene, as I agree with him no point going down quietly.
> 
> IMPORTANT - Structure Note/Schedule Note:
> 
> I have split this ARC up in my mind into six different sections or 'mini arcs' and after each one I might take a mini break (2 or 3 weeks) to chill and evaluate the next section before posting because this last ARC became a lot longer than I initially intended so in essence the Last/Third ARC of this story needed its own 'mini arcs'.
> 
> Also, full disclosure, I have begun posting this story earlier than I said I would, not because I have fully written this last ARC out (sorry! I have written out the first section though) but because I could feel my motivation to write out my ideas diminishing. Not saying my motivation for the story has ended or I have run out of idea. Hell no, I have so many notebooks full of ideas and I have plotted out every single character's story arcs and I know exactly how each chapter will pan out and roughly how many chapters are left and I know the ending of the story but the motivation to simply sit down and write the ideas out, edit, reread and tweak/polish here and there was beginning to grind on me a bit (The last month I have hardly touched this story).
> 
> SO! To fix this I have decided to start posting early in the hopes that a weekly deadline system and your guys/girls engagement with the story will kick me up the arse and I get on with writing out my ideas instead of just adding to my data bank of ideas. This means that although I have the story fully plotted out in my mind, on paper and electronically there will probably still be breaks in-between the six sections that make up the final ARC.
> 
> If you are enjoying this story please *Toss a coin to your writer, Oh valley of readers* and review, follow and favorite! (Yes, I brought it back for the Witcher fans out there :P)


	63. The Great Games

* * *

A few hours later …

**Seastone Chair chamber, Great Hall, Great Keep, Pyke, Seat of Power of House Greyjoy in the Iron Islands**

* * *

The only thing stopping Kenna from landing face first onto the cold stone floor were her two tied palms that she braced against the floor and halted her downward momentum.

_Seascum,_ Kenna berated the crew members of the _Iron Victory_ that had dragged her to Seastone Chair chamber all the way from the ship under Victorian's gleeful eyes to throw her to the ground before their King.

She took a second to compose her face before raising it to meet the dark black eyes of the man claiming to be the King of the Iron Islands.

King Balon sat comfortably in the Seastone chair as he looked down at his latest stolen prize. His stringy grey hair fell below his shoulders and his aged face showed weathered lines and gaunt skin.

Yara stood on his left while Aeron had merged in with the many Ironborn raiders in the chamber and Victorian hovered just behind Kenna, like a proud fisherman displaying his catch for the day.

"_Queen_ Kenna," Balon spat more than greeted, "I always knew I would see you in this chamber again."

"I had hoped never to set foot on these forsaken islands ever again," Kenna pushed herself backwards so she rested on her back heels with her bound wrists placed just above her grounded knees.

"And now you will die here," Balon said viciously, remembering the image of Kenna stabbing his brother over and over. She had not been much than a little girl then and now she was a fully-fledged Queen.

Balon's intent was no surprise to Kenna so she took the news in her stride before enquiring, "And what of my husband?"

"He is in the Guest Keep and will remain there until his father pays his ransom," Balon informed his captured foe, missing how she was rubbing her hands together.

"The Vale has gold too," Kenna said cautiously.

Balon let out a harsh laugh at Kenna's implication, "No amount of gold will save you. You belong to the Drowned God now and his wrath is almost as raging as mine."

"Then get it over with. I killed your brother so kill me now to settle the score," Kenna baited hoping Balon's clear anger could be manipulated into giving her a personal and intimate death at his hands.

Balon unsheathed a small dagger from his belt but did not relinquish the Seastone Chair.

"This is the very knife you used to kill Euron," Balon examined the slim steel knife in his hands then rose from the chair, "It would be poetic if it was the weapon that also ended your life as well."

"I didn't think you to be an aspiring poet or sentimental," Kenna jested continuing her reckless streak.

Balon's nostrils flared as he pushed himself from his chair and advanced on Kenna with the knife held tightly in his grip but he was stopped by an unlikely source.

"Brother," Victorian said sternly before stepping in front of Kenna, "You promised I could take her as a salt wife. I captured her so she is mine."

Balon squared up to his taller and bulkier brother showing no fear that Victorian was clearly physically stronger than him, "By all means have your fun Brother but she will die by my hands after she has felt my wrath."

Victorian didn't look particularly happy at his elder brother's decision but he reluctantly nodded before turning to look at his bound prisoner.

But she wasn't bound anymore.

Kenna jumped up and slashed at Victorian's throat, she felt her blade drag over flesh and Victorian dived to the floor with a blood curdling scream.

She moved onto her next target.

Balon stood no more than a metre from her. He raised the knife in his hand and watched her close the distance between them. As she was about to lunge, Kenna felt her legs being taken out from beneath her and her body hit the stone floor hard knocking the air from her lungs.

Kenna tried to scrambled to her feet again but she felt rough hands hold her arms down and blow after blow rained down on her from above. They came in such quick succession she couldn't even see her attackers or memorise their faces. After about a dozen unanswered blows a particularly strong one smacked into her face causing her head to smash against the hard floor and she lost consciousness.

* * *

"Victorian?" Balon questioned as he held out his hand to his downed brother.

Victorian rose from the ground without accepting any help with one hand firmly planted against his left eye. Balon could see blood dripping through his brother's fingers and down his cheek.

"The bitch got my eye," Victorian roared half in pain and half in anger.

"A good outcome considering she was aiming for your throat," Balon pointed out in an indifferent tone as he looked down at the battered woman lying unconscious on the floor with half a dozen Ironborn surrounding her limp body. One of her blades was rimmed in red blood.

"Take her blades," Balon commanded and while his men carried out the order Balon placed a hand on his brother's shoulder, "I know you like to live dangerously brother but she would make a poor salt wife. More likely to take your other eye and your life then give you any pleasure or children. You don't want to end up like the Red Kraken."

Victorina didn't say anything but shrugged his brother's hand off his shoulder, still with one hand covering half his face, and stomped over to the defenceless Kenna to aim a hard kick to her ribs before storming off out of the Great Hall.

Balon looked down at Kenna; her face was covered in blood which her brown hair was beginning to stick too and no doubt the bruises would be on display tomorrow. They would contrast nicely with her light blue and white hooded tunic robe.

Balon remembered seeing her sister Alyssa arrive in Pyke, she had had none of this fighting spirit that Kenna had just displayed. Euron had already beaten that out of her before their arrival.

_I wonder how long it will take to beat the fighting spirit out of you,_ Balon mused down at Kenna before commanding to his men, "Take her to the Sea Tower."

He watched as she was unceremoniously dragged out the chamber by her two arms as if she were nothing more than a sack of wool.

Balon re-seated himself in the Seastone chair and scanned the room. His eyes briefly crossed with his youngest brother's who gave him a slight bow of his head before walking to a group of drowned priests in the corner of the room with an unreadable expression on his sea weathered face.

* * *

_The same day …_

**Daznak's Pit, Meereen, Slavers Bay, South Essos**

* * *

"How long until this world is _blessed_ with another golden-haired cub?" Ellaria asked leaning towards Cersei as they sat in the crowd waiting for the Great Games to begin.

Cersei raised her eyebrow at Ellaria's question, it wasn't like they were friends.

"Oh, come on, I am trying to be polite," Ellaria hummed but still Cersei's intuition was screaming danger at her.

Ellaria Sand being polite was like a snake wrapping itself around you and claiming to keep you warm before squeezing the life out of you.

"I will probably give birth next month," Cersei replied quickly turning her head from the Dornish beauty to watch the two competitors come out of the tunnels and saluted their newfound Queen who sat only a dozen metres to their right.

"I bet you never thought you would give birth in Essos," Oberyn said from Cersei's other side.

"No," Cersei confirmed flexing her fingers that rested in her lap, still uncomfortable discussing her pregnancy, before switching the topic seamlessly, "Have you noticed that our Queen's dragons are nowhere to be seen."

"Yes, I managed to get one of the unsullied to tell me that she has locked two up and the largest one is missing," Oberyn revealed in a hushed conspiratorial tone.

"Do I want to know how you elicited such information from one of Daenerys's loyal soldiers?" Ellaria asked salaciously.

"Another time my love," Oberyn winked before looking around him to see all the high born Meereenese nobles had gone quiet and the atmosphere was getting tense.

Then a single clap punctuated through the thick blanket of tension that had built around the great circular arena and it erupted with shouts of cheer and excitement.

Oberyn looked to the middle of the arena and saw the two combatants trying to kill each other, the smaller one looked in control for now but all it took was one mistake and the bigger beast would strike.

Oberyn murmured into Cersei's ear, "The smaller man will win, he is faster and more agile."

"Robert was neither of those things when he hammered Rhaegar's breastplate in," Cersei replied watching the contest intently.

"We will see won't we," Oberyn laughed before straightening up.

A minute later and the bigger beast did strike and the smaller man lost his head.

"Normally the quicker man wins the contest in my experience," Oberyn muttered dejectedly.

"My love you can't be right all the time," Ellaria said across from Cersei with a chuckle on her lips enjoying the sun more than the fighting.

* * *

The arena entertainment continued as a dozen new fighters entered the pit and honoured their Queen.

They were all from different fighting backgrounds, Cersei could identify a Dothraki, a Meereenese champion and a Braavosi swordsman but the rest of the fighting styles were lost on her.

Ellaria tugged at her arm, "That one," she said pointing towards the quick Braavosi, "He will win this."

Cersei simply nodded, the excitement of the contest waning for her as she reflected on why she was here.

Her purpose wasn't to watch such frivolous activities, but to convince a Queen to invade her homeland and spare her children in the ensuing aftermath. Each day she spent waiting in this random Essos city for Daenerys Targaryen to realise that there was no practice run at ruling was a day wasted in her quest to avenge Joffrey's murder and finally teach her father that she was the one that he should have focused all his efforts on, not Jaime and not Kenna's bastard sons.

Cersei was so lost in her thoughts that she completely lost her balance as Oberyn shoved her to the floor before impaling a mask wearing noble Meereenese who had been sitting behind her with his dagger while Ellaria slid her own concealed dagger into another mask wearing Meereenese nobleman's soft Adam's apple that had been sitting beside her.

"Come now," Oberyn shouted with urgency as he half picked Cersei up and the trio started to make their way towards the royal box.

Cersei let out a shout of warning as three Sons of the Harpy stepped into their path.

Oberyn effortlessly killed one by throwing his dagger at the woman's torso before producing a second dagger to quickly knife the second to death while Ellaria ducked to avoid the third's wild swing at her before stabbing the man in the back and pushing him down the row of seats.

They reached the royal box to see Daario, Ser Barristan, Jorah Mormont and Daenerys's Unsullied guards protecting her and Missandei while more and more Sons of the Harpy appeared in the stands.

"They are everywhere," a panicked Missandei said as she grasped on to her Queens's forearm.

"We need to move," Daario shouted as he stepped over Hizdahr zo Loraq dead body.

"Down into the pit," Oberyn suggested as he picked up a spear from the ground and thrust out at a golden masked female who wasn't quick enough to avoid the viper's bite.

"Go now," Ser Barristan demanded as he and Daario joined with Oberyn to fight back the wave of masked killers.

Jorah lowered Daenerys and Missandei down into the pit as some Unsullied jumped down to clear the area before turning to Cersei and offering his hand. Cersei accepted and found herself huddling with the two other non-combative females as the rest of the group caught up with them forming a protective circle around their chosen Queen.

A lone Son of the Harpy broke through the Unsullied wall and went straight for Cersei with his dagger out in front of him but before he could reach the heavily pregnant woman Oberyn's spear burst through his chest.

"Thank .. you," Cersei managed to utter weakly as she took in their surrounded position.

"I just gave you a few more minutes," Oberyn said his eyes darting back and forth around them.

Oberyn didn't look scared, he had that wild look in his eyes like he didn't mind if he died just as long as his enemies' blood soaked through his clothing before he fell.

Daenerys's guard party of Ser Barristan, Daario, Jorah, Oberyn and the two-dozen unsullied remaining were easily more skilled than the masked men and woman accosting them. But even the ten most skilled killers in the words would not win against a mob of over two hundred in such a contained space.

The protective circle surrounding Daenerys was getting smaller as the Sons of the Harpy pushed the Unsullied back with their numbers.

Just as Cersei had finished praying to the Mother, there was a horrendous screech that stopped all those in the arena in their tracks.

The flapping of wings could be heard for a few beats then a dragon the size of a small building rose over the stadium before plunging down and landing in the sandy arena, causing many Sons of the Harpy to start fleeing away from the terrifying beast.

Cersei watched opened mouthed as the dragon roasted a pack of the masked killers then practically ate one right in front of her before discarding the body by throwing it into the stands.

Her mind couldn't fathom the fact she was seeing a real live dragon and it was shredding any perceived threat to its mother with brutal power and tenacity.

The carnage it was recking was beautiful in its own way as the fire and blood spread around the arena, indicating where the large black dragon had been.

Suddenly the beast let out a pained screech as a spear thudded into its scaled body. Before the dragon could roast the offending parties the Sons of the Harpy had regrouped to fire more spears at the lone beast.

Daario took out the lead spearman with his throwing knife but Drogon was still screeching in pain as Daenerys pulled out one of the spears then hauled herself on top of her child.

Cersei heard Daenerys utter a single word, "Valahd," and in the next instant Drogon was running and lifting off the ground to soar into the sky, and with him went Meereen's Queen.

The former Queen of the Seven Kingdoms could only look on in amazement as the black dragon flapped its wings and flew into the distance.

Oberyn tapped her on her shoulder with the end of his spear to indicate that the remaining members of the party were moving, "We need to get out of here before the Sons of the Harpy regroup and decide to slaughter us all."

Cersei nodded and with one hand on her belly she moved with the visible distraught party to the now unbarred exit of Daznak's Pit.

* * *

_A few hours later …_

**The Great Pyramid, Meereen, Slavers Bay, South Essos**

* * *

Cersei sat down heavily on one of the steps leading to the throne in the Great Pyramid, giving her pacing feet a rest and her burdened body some respite. She looked down the steps to see the somber party, or what was left of Daenerys people just milling around.

Obeyrn and Ellaria where in the corner in a loose embrace whispering into each other's ears. Cersei didn't think for one second they were contemplating the current political mess this city was in or understood what a catastrophe Daenerys disappearance was for the Dornish war effort.

The frustration got to her and she couldn't hold it in, "Are you going to do anything?"

Her voice echoed off the enclosed walls and all the faces looked to her but no one spoke. They all seemed crushed by their Queen's absence as if she was the only thing giving them purpose and life.

"Are you going to do anything?" Cersei asked again but louder, demanding an answer in her tone this time.

"What can we do?" Daario moaned dejectedly.

'We can go find her," Ser Barristan said rising from his sitting position to face Daario and Cersei.

"If you leave and take the Unsullied with you Meereen will plunge into civil war," Varys commented appearing from the shadowy corner of the room.

"I will not take the Unsullied, I will take Daario and we will track our Queen down," the old knight stated.

Jorah approached Ser Barristan, "I will come with you."

"You are the Hand of the Queen you should rule in her stead," the wise knight retorted.

"I am not that type of Hand, I advise my Queen I will not rule for her," Jorah said, clearly wanting to be part of the party responsible for finding Daenerys.

Ser Barristan stayed quiet at Jorah statement, shaking his head slightly.

"Fine," Daario said keeping the peace between the two Westerosi knights, "Grey Worm will stay here with the Unsullied to maintain order and everyone knows that Missandei speaks for our Queen they will trust what she says."

"I do not know how to rule," the dark-skinned girl said in a doubting tone.

"No but she does," Vary's voice vibrated around the room catching everyone's attention while his own was firmly placed on Cersei.

"She is our Queen's enemy," Grey Worm spoke up with one hand resting on the white bandages that encircled his waist.

"Maybe but this is the perfect test to give her to see if she wants to change that," Vary commented.

"Why can't you rule Meereen," Cersei questioned the eunuch, "you have served four Kings and a Queen you must have picked up the knowledge of what ruling is by now and your network of spies will help greatly."

"Indeed but I collect information and disseminate it to where it needs to go, I do not make the decisions based on it much like how Missandei is our Queen's mouth piece but not the source of the words," Varys replied.

"We do not have time for this banter," Jorah said explosively, "We need to track down Daenerys, now."

Daario and Ser Barristan both stood and walked towards Jorah, "I agree," the white-haired knight said, "We must go and you must figure out how to rule this city until we come back."

The fighting trio quickly walked out of the chamber keen to start their quest as soon as possible.

"Prince Oberyn, this might also be an opportunity for you to gain a favour from Daenerys," Varys said turning to face the charming Martell.

"Oh?" Oberyn replied, disengaging slightly from Ellaria and giving Varys his full attention.

"If you help maintain our control over Meereen she would be in your debt and more likely to listen to your pleading to speed up her invasion of the Seven Kingdoms."

Oberyn smiled at the bald man, "I was asking, not pleading and in Dorne we help our _allies_."

"Then we will begin," Varys announced looking around and eyeing each one of his fellow ruling council members; Cersei still looked distrustful but that was her default expression when it came to other people's ideas, Grey Worm and Missandei seemed hesitant but were not suggesting alternative ideas, Oberyn and Ellaria seemed content but Varys knew what their magnanimous smiles could hide, and Melisandre seemed to still be communicating her Lord of Light in her chambers, for which Varys was immensely grateful for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Notes
> 
> LOL Victorian becomes the new Euron and Cersei just got a city to rule, albeit under the watchful eyes of everyone around her.
> 
> That Oberyn and Cersei comments regarding who would win in a single combat fight or trial by combat situation (smaller man or stronger man) had me in stitches XD I am happy Oberyn is still alive in this story so far and that is saying a lot considering I love writing death scenes :P
> 
> A few things on the Dany/Meereen plot line:
> 
> This story hasn't really spent too much time with Dany and obviously going into the last ARC she is going to become a much more central character but she still isn't the main focus. For clarity please assume her storyline has followed cannon up to the points where Cersei, Ellaria & Oberyn appear instead of Tyrion and Melisandre & Vary appear slightly earlier than in cannon and Ser Barristan did not take part in that Sons of the Harpy ambush that put Grey Worm out of action for the Great Games fight and is hence still alive at this point. Oh, and Dany forgave Jorah Mormont instead of exiling him so he is Dany's Hand if that wasn't clear. I have changed a lot with her story on second thought :P
> 
> The best reason I can figure for Varys not knowing about the Sons of the Harpy attack is that he only just arrived in the city and is still in the process of establishing his spy network within the city (Varys can't know everything .. can he?) The more suspiciously minded of you might be thinking why weren't Varys and Melisandre at the Great Games, well Varys doesn't enjoy mindless killing and was never at any King's Landing tourneys and Melisandre is too busy staring at fire at this moment in time to participate.
> 
> RIP:
> 
> Hizdahr zo Lorag (Stabbed to death by Sons of the Harpy)
> 
> Well I didn't have anything cool for this character to do other than what happened on the TV show so goodbye! (But his conversations with Tyrion in cannon were A+)
> 
> Countless Sons of the Harpy (Take your pick on causes of death - Impaled, stabbed, set on fire, and half eaten etc.)
> 
> Drogon went beast mode and with Ser Barristan, Oberyn and Ellaria added to Daenerys's protection circle she had a lot more skilled warriors defending her


End file.
